Exhibition of Marijan Dadić and Valentina Kvesić (Photo: J.Lovrinčević)

In the light-filled space of the Mittelrhein-Museum, in the Forum Confluentes, in Koblenz abstract paintings by Valentina Kvesić and paintings of strong expressions by Marijan Dadić have created an atmosphere that encourages life plunging into its depths; the magical colours of poetic compositions in the paintings by Valentina Kvesic, and paintings by Marijan Dadić from his cycle “Music and dance”, the image of St. Francis as well as picture with reminiscences of landscapes from his homeland.

Members of CCA Koblenz (Photo: J. Lovrinčević)

 Exhibition Opening

The exhibition, opened from 18th to 25th of April 2015, was organized by the Croatian Cultural Association Koblenz on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its establishment. The exhibition was opened by Mr Josip Spoljarić, Consul General of Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia in Frankfurt am Main. Previously, the young musician Tihana Lovrinčević had performed her own composition “The Dawn” on the guitar accompanied by the guitarist Dragan Lovrinčević. The dynamics and the rhythm of this programme music piece expresses the birth of the day with playful tones presenting the domination of light. It was a nice introduction with the music crescendo to a wide range of impressions and reflections evoked by each art painting in the exhibition.

Mr Josip Špoljarić, Consul General RC in Frankfurt am Main (Photo: J. Lovrinčević)

Exhibition opening (Photo: Peter Wayand)

Tihana Lovrinčević (Photo: Peter Wayand)

Valentina Kvesić

V.Kvesić (Photo: J.Lovrinčević)

Valentina Kvesić was born in Split in Croatia. She has completed studies of pedagogy and psychoanalysis at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main in Germany. At the exhibition she presented twenty-five paintings including some artworks from her cycle “Cosmos” exposed for the first time. While making art Valentina Kvesić is continuously surrendering to the particular moment and letting her intuition guide her. The viewers’ unlimited imagination is evoked by the outlines, forms and colors in her paintings, especially in her recent works, with intense, flaming colors. Only complex titles of Valentina’ s works may represent or indicate a bridge between her two worlds, the business one and her art world. Actually, she is a human resource manager at an international company. Whether her two worlds unite or diverge in the infinity of “cosmos”, displayed in the series of her paintings with the same name (Cosmos), a subject to which Valentina always returns, it remains unknown.

Valentina Kvesić “Kosmos”

V.Kvesić “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It”

V. Kvesić (Photo: J.Lovrinčević)

Marijan Dadić

M.Dadić (Foto: J.Lovrinčević)

The painter Marijan Dadić was born in Tramošnica in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After completing his studies in theology and philosophy in Sarajevo he finished Malakademie for painting and graphics in Cologne. For this exhibition he chose seventeen pictures. His paintings, devoid of details with strong, intense colors and accentuated brushstrokes, fantastically reveal the atmosphere, the emotion or the movement as it is in the painting “On the Sea”. The unity of music and emotions of musicians is expressive potrayed in the artwork “Soundbody”. The final ballet scene in “Die Vollendung” as well as the two resting reapers with a wheat field in the background in “The Talk” are a powerful representation of the atmosphere as well as the meditative atmosphere in the painting “St. Francis”.

M.Dadić “The Talk”

M. Dadić “On the Sea”

M.Dadić “St. Francis”

Croatian Cultural Association Koblenz

This exhibition of Croatian artists living in Germany is an addition to the varied activities organized by the Croatian Cultural Association Koblenz (CCA). Since its establishment, it has been organizing cultural events for its members and guests monthly, including lectures, various projections or celebrations with a literary musical program, excursions and trips. The Croatian Cultural Association Koblenz has organized the performance of the Theater “New Life” from Zagreb as well as a number of musical and theatrical presentations of its honorary member Peter Wayand. Former Presidents of the Croatian Cultural Association Koblenz were: Ljerka Vivoda, Ivona Dončević, Rajko Radišić, Viktor Sinčić, Franjo Kolobara. The current president Mrs Suzana Petrović was one of the initiator of the Association establishment. She took part in preparing the brochure published on the occasion of the tenth and the twentieth anniversary of the CCA Koblenz. In the last brochure she wrote an article about the Croatian poet Malkica Dugeč, with reference to her life and work.

Suzana Petrović (right) with guests (Photo: J. Lovrinčević)

(Photo: Peter Wayand)

Valentina Kvesić

Inspiration and the process of creation differs from one artist to another. While she is painting Valentina Kvesić is led by her feelings and intuition which makes her distinct and interesting. Her art is an expression of her instant feelings what results in an individual and unique style. These are flashes and overflows of everything the artist carries in herself what leads the brush in her hand over the canvas. Through this approach she creates artworks of irresistible attractiveness: a symphony of colors, tint and shades, incredible forms and amazing structures.

Broken Clouds

In the interview I conducted with Valentina Kvesić in October 2014, she said that the most important part of creating art is the process, in which she gives herself up to her feelings and intuition.

Valentina Kvesić: “When I start to paint I give myself up to my feelings and intuition. I admire to paint with the colors that inspire me at a specific moment, to let the painting develop itself, to let my feelings guide me and I admire the process of painting evolving the way the material requires it or the image itself. The process itself is for me most important. Before I begin to paint I have an initial idea, but rarely a specific motif. While I paint I allow the initial idea to change, sometimes I even reverse the top of the canvas to the bottom and I continue to paint from that point. At the end I title the painting when the image is almost finished or already finished.”

Another interesting fact is related to Valentina’s process of painting; she often paints simultaneously more artworks.

Wild kitchen

Valentina Kvesić: “I always paint more canvases simultaneously. While I am painting one canvas, I let the other one to dry and in this way I distance myself momentary from the painting. Later I perceive and observe the image in a different light and thus I get new inspiration what I eventually like to add. ”

Valentina Kvesić’s first major solo exhibition was in 2001 in “Bürgerhaus” in Dietzenbach. Since then, her style of painting has changed.

Valentina Kvesić: “Back then my art was not as abstract as it is today.”

Asked whether it was a conscious decision to change the style, Valentina Kvesić replied:
“No, that was not my goal. My style developed spontaneously, it has not happened consciously. I want to paint intuitively and emotionally. I like abstract art because anyone can interpret something else depending on the observer. When visitors of my art exhibitions look at the titles of the paintings, they often start very interesting conversations, especially if they do not associate the titles with the images. These titles are only an option which shows how I see the paintings, what I associated with them, and I do not expect someone to see the same and to accept these titles. For this reason I like abstract art because it offers the viewer the possibility of thinking and fantasising.”

Spirits that I have summoned

The story of a traveler

Undercover

For her paintings Valentina Kvesić has chosen acrylic, a material that allows her to experiment.
Valentina Kvesić: “I like to experiment. While I am painting I get an idea what I should do, what I could try out, for example, to stick something and to unglue it or to use some new materials with which I accomplish a new structure or a special effect. With acrylics it is possible to correct or paint over an image so that it allows experimentation. I gladly accept new painting appearances, I simply let the image be as it should be at a particular moment. I have an initial idea, but I don’t have a certain goal, when I begin to paint, I let it proceed and evolve … ”

Through experimentation Valentina Kvesić has developed a new, original technique which she is applying on a series of paintings called “Cosmos”. All images of  “Cosmos” are painted on canvases of the same size, measuring 24 x 30 cm. She has emphasized her wish to expose once hundred paintings of this cycle in order to achieve the impression of one whole image.

Kosmos (1)

Kosmos (3)

Kosmos (2)

When asked how much time she needs to finish a painting, Valentina Kvesić replied:
Valentina Kvesić: “It varies. Some paintings I make spontaneously in a few hours, but sometimes it takes up to six months to finish them, of course it also depends on the canvas size. When the size is narrow, it is harder for me to work, and large sizes give me more freedom and it is easier to work. I would like the sizes of my paintings to be even bigger, but I choose that size to make the trasportation to the exhibition easier.”

Fire splendor

Colors as inspiration

The colors are a great inspiration for Valentina.
Valentina Kvesić: “Colors are essential to me, they are my inspiration. The colors in my paintings either contrast or harmonize.”

Just as colors and their stunning combinations emerge in Valentina’s art, in her dressing and in the design of her living space, they probably reflect Valentina’s range of interest in different things, too. She likes many different things, and she is optimistic, an always smiling person who loves languages, sports, jokes, and above all to combine colors.

She came from Split to Germany in the 90s when she was ten years old, so that I was wondering whether the strong colors in her paintings are connected to Split where strong colors equally dominate the landscape: blue sea and sky, green Marjan and reflections of the sun.
Valentina Kvesić: “Yes, maybe this remained within me. I love Split and everything related to it…”

Autumn

Melting process

From a life of a dog

Valentina Kvesić has finished the study of pedagogy and psychoanalysis at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. She is employed in an international company with frequent journeys so that she paints only in her free time.

Valentina Kvesić: “A few months before the exhibition I already start with preparations. I usually have the time for painting when I “catch” it or on weekends, I often paint also during a pre-planned time. Since my existence does not depend on my art, I can devote time to my artistic work when there is an impulse and, of course, free time. ”

Since she was ten years old Valentina Kvesić has attended various drawing and painting courses, starting from children courses for beginners to professional ones (among others in the famous school of art Städel in Frankfurt am Main). She has attended courses of the German painter Helmuth Jahn. Although Valentina’s style is quite different from his, Ms Kvesić says that he probably helped her accepting a completely abstract painting.

Valentina Kvesić: “I have developed my own style and I continue to nurture it, I organize my exhibitions, I identify with what I am doing and I believe that my paintings are liked by others too.”

(Dis) balance between light and heavy, will and power, rights and duties

Jasna Lovrinčević: “Do you bind yourself to your paintings?”
Valentina Kvesić: “To some of them more, to some less. My first painting in acrylic I have kept to myself. Emotionally I relate to each of my paintings, because I have left a part of myself in them, and perhaps a bit of my soul. Well, I am glad when others like my paintings and want to have them. ”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “Do you remember your paintings?”
Valentina Kvesić: “Yes, each of them.”

Till now Valentina Kvesić has had 32 solo and group exhibitions in fourteen cities in Germany, and she is preparing an exhibition in Singapore next year.