Family businesses are a mirror of the society, the representation of an evolving market, the memory of traditions and the pulsating fabric of cities and their ecosystems.
As in the case of ZANAT, a Bosnia-based producer of furnishings and decorative objects, launched by the Nikšić family with centuries-old roots, as a reference point for the creation of hand-carved furniture.
A perfect example of a bridge between past and future, at the outset the company took part in the most iconic exhibitions – from the Hungarian Millennium in Budapest in 1896 to the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1900. Today the firm collaborates with some of the most outstanding names on the international design scene. Michele De Lucchi, Jean-Marie Massaud and Sebastian Herkner, in fact, are just a few of the protagonists of this year’s collection, which blends tradition, art, functional quality and advanced technologies for sustainable production.
In a perspective of enhancement and conservation, ZANAT has promoted the use of its distinctive carving technique, which was included in 2017 in the UNESCO listing of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humankind. As a tribute to this tradition, in 2019 the Nikšić family opened the Woodcarving Museum in Konjic, a gathering place for the community and institutions, created in collaboration with Emir Salkic, co-founder of the studio Normal Arhitektura.
The museum contains historical documents and itineraries on traditional woodcarving models based on folk traditions, and the modern patterns invented by designers like Ilse Crawford, Ludovica + Roberto Palomba, Wingårdhs Architects and many others.
A true journey in time, history, crafts and contemporary design, in 2022 the museum received the Luigi Micheletti Award from the European Museum Academy.
