Art colony Rovinj
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The Native Museum of the Town of Rovinj was the venue of the opening ceremony for the 51st traditional exhibition given by the Rovinj Art Colony
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The Native Museum of the Town of Rovinj was the venue of the opening ceremony for the 51st traditional exhibition given by the Rovinj Art Colony. 33 art creators exhibited their work, including some art pioneers from Rovinj, but younger authors as well, exhibiting their work for the first time at this significant art event.
Director of the Native Museum Argeo Curto gave a speech, particularly addressing the fact that “the founders of the Art Colony also exhibit here, as well as the artists who have just graduated or still attend the university, which makes this exhibition dynamic and top event of Rovinj art summer”, and pointed out that “this year’s layout is more beautiful and solid, which we have the Colony Presidency to thank for – this time they were somewhat stricter in selecting works for the purpose of maintaining quality«.
The Colony dates from 1953 when four artists and its founders - Bruno Masacrelli, Zora Matić, Marcelo Brajnović and Žarko Naumović, gathered in an art group called Valdibora, exhibited their work. Afterwards came Slobodan Vuličević, Biserka Baretić and Lidija as the initial nucleus of what Rovinj Art Colony is today – namely, a significant art event that has discovered and still discovers names without which the image of Croatian modern and contemporary art would be unthinkable.
The coexistence of the artists and Rovinj, as a town where Mediterranean cultures have intermingled for centuries, is truly exceptional.
The Colony was and still is not only a place where artists of all generations meet, but also an event that has substantially contributed to the cultural prosperity of the environment. Specifically, the Art Colony is held under the Native Museum, which is proud to have the only permanent contemporary art layout in Istria today – Croatian Modern Art and Rovinj Art Cricle.
Through all these years the artists have made an indelible contribution to the town’s identity with their work and creativity, many of them by staying and living in Rovinj as well. That is why today, Rovinj can be proud not only of this art event, but numerous other exhibitions as well, putting Rovinj on the significant art events map of Croatia. Throughout its history, the Colony has been marked by a series of the most important names of Croatian painting, and one should not put aside the fact that it has nurtured and discovered many significant features of the local art scene, without which the contemporary Croatian art would not be what it is.
We should certainly point out the many years of continuity and survival of the event as a rare example of stability, just like the entire Rovinj art circle. “The Rovinj Art Colony is the general place of Croatian modern and contemporary art. It is a lasting mental and emotional laboratory challenging the ability and power in art languages”, wrote, among other things, Gorka Ostojić-Cvajner, concluding that “without it, the town would be less of a town, its culture would be less cosmopolitan, and art would lack the best image of itself.«
The Art Colony selected its laureates again this year, based on the vote by the panel comprising art historians: Gorka Ostojić-Cvajner, Nataša Ivančević and Sabina Salamon. Because of what has been said so far, we would like to highlight the award given by the Native Museum of the Town of Rovinj reserved for a young participant, which rightfully went to academic sculptor Andrija Milovan.
Other than that, the Native Museum’s first award was presented to Siniša Majkus, and the second to Gualtiero Mocceni, whereas the first and second purchase awards went to Sanja Švrljuga and Bane Milenković respectively. The honorary award from the Town of Rovinj was presented to Živko Haramija.
