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Adi Karailo is an artist and educator at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, where he teaches drawing and painting. He actively participates in domestic and international exhibitions and regularly presents his work to a broader audience. In his practice, he focuses on figurative drawing and painting, working with traditional techniques. His paintings often capture urban landscapes and figures that carry questions for both the author and the viewer. He lives and works in Sarajevo. At the ArtCamp summer art school at the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, he led a course Figure Drawing.

Could you tell us about your journey from student to professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo? What motivated you to stay in the academic environment?

The journey was unexpected, as it always is. The interest in art, especially painting, and the passion that lies behind it was always the guiding wind to better myself and, later, as a teacher, to share the knowledge and experience with others.

Your work focuses on figurative painting and drawing. In an era dominated by conceptual and digital art, what keeps you committed to traditional media?

There is something, at least in my opinion, that digital mediums can’t recreate and traditional mediums have and I think will continue to have and continue to inspire generations to come. That is the enigmatic allure that lies behind a line of charcoal on paper or a brushstroke of oil paint. It is not easily defined, but it is powerful.

What does the contemporary art scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina look like? What are the main themes your colleagues are exploring?

The contemporary art scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina is very diverse in every aspect, from the mediums that are in use to the way artists approach and present ideas, emotions, and thoughts. The themes that many artists are exploring are mostly individual but with a strong sense of presence and the world we live in, but also reminiscing about moments from the past.

How has your experience with international exhibitions influenced your work? Do you perceive differences in how your work is received in different cultural contexts?

My experience with international exhibitions is positive, and my work has been received with the same open-minded spirit, and I’m very grateful that I communicate in a medium that can bridge any language or, even in many cases, cultural differences. Every experience will add something new, as a person you grow and so does your art.

Do you prefer urban landscapes or nature in your work? Are the men from your paintings your alter egos?

The landscapes in my paintings are equally as important as the figures are, and the change between urban or a view of a part of nature depends on the emotion I want to explore, but in recent paintings, the urban landscapes and their connection as a symbol of modernity have become prevalent in my paintings. The man is a representation of both me, but also I want the viewer to put himself also in the place of the figure and ask the same questions as the person in the painting does.

Are you planning any projects that would connect Czech and Bosnian artistic communities? Do you see potential for deeper cultural collaboration?

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many people at the ArtCamp, artists that share similar interests and perspectives and want to collaborate and build new bridges between cultures. I will share my experiences, and I am confident that the communities could and I hope that they will work together on projects in the near future.

Hosting Adi Karailo was beneficial not only for the ArtCamp summer school, but also for the collaboration between both universities. The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen and the University of Sarajevo are both members of the international EUPeace alliance, which opens new opportunities for cooperation in education, research, and also arts and culture, with particular emphasis on social responsibility and intercultural dialogue.

ArtCamp 2025 is held with the financial support of the statutory city of Pilsen.