Macedonian Manege

In 1991, the Socialist Republic of Macedonia established its independence from Yugoslavia, under the name of the Republic of Macedonia. With the fall of Communism, the breakup of Yugoslavia and the consequent lack of a Great power in the region, the Republic of Macedonia came into conflicts with its neighbors. Bulgaria contested its national identity and language and Greece, its name and symbols. 

As a response, a more assertive and uncompromising Macedonian nationalism emerged whose supporters are claiming that the ethnic Macedonians are direct descendants of the ancient Macedonians.  Antiquisation is the policy which the nationalistic ruling party VMRO-DPMNE has pursued since the coming to power in 2006.  As part of this policy, statues of Alexander the Great and Philip II of Macedon have been built in Skopje ( the capital) and in several other cities across the country.  The center of Skopje was rebuilt featuring an agglomeration of neoclassical buildings, as well as a high number of statues of Macedonian revolutionaries some of which are considered national heroes in Bulgaria…

The animation features 14 statues of men on horses displayed in the central area of Skopje covering no more than one square kilometer.