June 29, 2021 - A unique event for the Croatian art scene, Brick yard, a meeting point between an exhibition and a party, features four Croatian artists presenting their work and making a statement that not even coronavirus can stop art.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The event was moved to July 3, due to a bad weather forecast

The coronavirus pandemic and the experience of lockdown were either an inspiration for artists or those circumstances just made it easier for them to focus on their work as everything was closed and isolated. Much like almost everything else, the art and culture sector wasn't immune to the pandemic's heavy blow.

With art events and exhibitions still facing challenges, Jasmina Krajačić, Mario Romoda, Apolonija Lučić, and Zorana Unković, instead of waiting for the support by the culture ministry or for galleries to return to being fully functioning institutions, took their faith in their own hands.

© Jasmina Krajačić

Their initiative for cultural growth, titled Brick Yard, will see these artists present their work in a garden located in Lomnička 1, in a beautiful garden that truly looks like a piece of art itself. Observing art like a plant that, in order to grow, needs to be watered constantly, the collective will showcase their work on July 1 from 5-9 pm.

''The four of us have studios at the same address. It's an old house with quite unusual dimensions and a big garden hiding the view from bypassers. That garden looks like it fell from mars, and it doesn't fit in with the series of new buildings recently built in the neighbourhood, and not a lot of people know about it,'' explained Krajačić, stating that this is the true charm of this project.

© Mario Romoda

All four artists are renowned names in the world of Croatian contemporary art, and it's interesting to observe different takes on the artistic expressions they have. Romoda is into painting, Krajačić's main focus is geometry and design, Lučić navigates toward drawing and illustrations while Unković is skilled in street art. Echo, reflection, self-therapy, comic strips, and geometry are some of the aspects artists pointed out Brick Yard will feature.

''Since the start of the lockdown, we hung out and worked in that space, killing some time in uncertainty, waiting for the outcome of this whole situation, while also creating new work with our creativity and discipline, which we decided to present in the garden,'' continued Krajačić.

© Jasmina Krajačić

 © Mario Romoda

© Zorana Unković 

The event, which lay somewhere between an exhibition and a party, saw the artists invite business associates, gallery workers, art critics, and several friends in the hope of ensuring the support the Croatian art scene desperately needs.

''We invited them for an afternoon in an unconventional environment, without big talks and classic gallery protocols,'' pointed out Krajačić, concluding that this type of event is not typical at all on the Croatian art scene. This unusual, experimental event is just as art should be, and the message that the Brick Yard collective differs in expression and stands united in their message is loud and clear.

''Art cannot be stopped as it feeds every atom which thirsty for creative progress. Without it, we're fragile and empty,'' they concluded from Brick Yard.

© Apolonija Lučić

© Zorana Unković 

Learn more about Croatian Art Galleries in Zagreb, Dalmatia, Istria & Slavonia on our TC page.

For more about art in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page

ZAGREB, 22 May 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Saturday that his HDZ party was a centre-right, state-building, patriotic, people's, Christian democratic party, calling on voters to vote in the second round of local elections in Zagreb on 30 May according to their conscience.

"The party's position has not changed... we know our values and platform. We respect our voters and recommend that they vote according to their conscience in the runoff," Plenković said during a visit to Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.

Asked which of the two candidates for the Zagreb mayor, Tomislav Tomašević or Miroslav Škoro, would be easier to cooperate with, Plenković said that he respected voters' will.

"Whoever wins voters' trust is a collocutor to me as the prime minister. We have been pursuing a policy of balanced regional development in all parts of Croatia. It was never a problem for me to talk to representatives who are in the opposition at the national level and are in power in some part of the country. The same will apply to Zagreb," he said.

Vaccination as a way to achieve a better tourist season

Asked if current epidemiological restrictions could be relaxed sooner, that is on 27 May, as demanded by restaurant and bar owners, Plenković said that the epidemiological situation would be discussed in the coming week.

"The figures are very, very good. Compared to the week before, there are fewer infections, the number of people who have got vaccinated is growing, and vaccination provides protection against the worst outcomes. We must make decisions that will help maintain the current good trends and not jeopardise the tourist season," he said.

Plenković recalled that of the epidemiological restrictions, the only ones to remain in force were bans on events and gatherings of more than 25 people, on stay in indoor areas of restaurants and bars, and on indoor sport activities. As for everything else, we have been living more or less normally while other countries have had major restrictions, Plenković said.

Speaking of the tourist season, he said that it was up to Croatia to create conditions, through the vaccination of tourism workers and other workers in the services sector, that will help visitors stay safe.

Germany's decision very good, first wave of tourists in July

Germany has taken Croatia off the red list of countries with a high risk of coronavirus, and as of midnight on Sunday, Croatia will no longer be considered a high-risk but a risk region.

Commenting on this, Plenković said that the decision was good because Germany was one of Croatia's biggest tourist markets.

He noted that he had been in touch with state officials from other countries whose citizens could hardly wait to visit Croatia again and that the first bigger tourist wave was expected in July.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

Some of us like social events, some of us don't. Whichever clan you belong to, you've surely found yourself producing a platitude or two at parties to keep the conversation going