Who Was Branislav Tesanovic?

Branislav Tesanovic is 78 years old when he falls to the floor in a corner of his Stockholm apartment and dies face down. There are strong indications that it may have happened Thursday, 10 March, 2016, the day after his birthday, as the note in the calendar on the wall, marking the date 11 March, has not been torn off. Unattended mail has created a large pile on the floor, and the radio is still on, when he is found by the police three years, eight months, and eight days later. Branislav quickly gets the name ”Stockholm’s Loneliest Man” in media. A documentary is made. Articles are written. Who was Branislav Tesanovic? A few answers are found through the attention of his fate: he came to Sweden from Yugoslavia 40 years ago; he lived in numerous cities in Sweden until he settled in Stockholm; throughout the years he worked as a turner, wood worker, metal worker, filer, and driller; he liked playing outdoor chess; and he was a regular at the restaurant Verona. But who Branislav was underneath his role as a colleague, chess antagonist, and restaurant guest; and what made him go through life for 78 years without having anyone noticing his death until nearly four years later, no one will ever know. Branislav’s fate is not unique. According to the social services department and the police, similar cases are handled everyday. The exhibition is not about these people’s deaths but about their lives. In that regard the exhibition might as well be about all of us.