Davor Grünwald

The Canadian Ambassador to Croatia mr. Danijel Maksymiuk opened the exhibition and in his opening speech he expressed the gratitude to Davor Grunwald for bringing his talent, and new techniques he had learned in Austria and perfected in Zagreb, and shearing them with Canada, his new country.

On September 21, it was organized guiding tour through exhibition by Davor Grunwald who was talking about his project and experiences from Croatia and Canada.

The exhibition was exceptionally well attended, it draw attention of media, TV News and TV Cultural News. Overall it was evaluated as one of the best exhibition in HDD history.

Also, the documentary film has been made in which Davor Grunwald describes each of his design product in details. Marko Golub is the author of the film and Miran Krcadinac is cameramen.

The authors of the exhibition, Marko Golub and Koraljka Vlajo are also the authors of monograph, published under the titel: Davor Grünwald – Industrial Design and presented at HDD Galery on October 11, 2017.

“I am full of nice impressions, anecdotes, before, during and after opening”, said Davor Grünwald in interview we had on October 12, 2017.

The retrospective exhibition in Zagreb and publishing of his monograph are the great acknowledgments for Davor Grunwald who after his graduation from Academy for Applied Arts in Vienna 1968, was active in Croatia until 1975 designing electronic desk calculators for Calculating Machines Factory, machine tools for Prvomajska and chairs for Metal Furniture Factory – Jadran. For his work he received City of Zagreb Award, 1973 and in the same year Golden Medal in Leipzig. Since 1975 he has lived in Canada where he has designed high speed computer printers, diverse geophysical instruments and tractors. In Canada, he received prestigious Canada Design Award, 1982 for design of one geophysical device. Since his retirement in 2008, Davor Grünwald has worked as hobby designer.

Jasna Lovrincevic: “How did it came to realization of the exhibition? What were the first steps and how did the process of setting up the exhibition develop?”
Davor Grunwald: “I have been in touch with Boris Ljubicic, Croatian famous graphic designer, since the end of sixties last centuries. He has known me well and he has followed the news about my profesional life, so three years ago he proposed to Museum of Art and Craft ( MUO) in Zagreb to archive my professional opus, created in the last fifty years. Soon after that, Ms. Koraljka Vlajo, curator at MUO, informed me about this happy news. I immediately started with collecting the materials and to write my memoirs. That work has required a lot of time and discipline. Last year, in April 2016 I brought these materials from Toronto to Zagreb and I gave it to Mr. Gasparovic, the head of MUO. By this occasion it was mentioned the possibility of organizing an exhibtion for me. Acording to the MUO schedule there were no free times in the following five years, and it was told that the Croatian Design Association Gallery (HDD Gallery) could it eventually realized. Mr. Marko Golub, the head of HDD Gallery, accepted enthusiastically that suggestion.

Since I retired in 2008 I have come to Croatia every year in April and return to Canada in October. As soon I came to Croatia in april 2017, Marko Golub and Koraljka Vlajo asked me for a long interview. It held on several occasions, and it was about everything; from my first idea to work as designer when I told to myself “I have to do this” at Italian design exhibition at MUO 1963, my study period at Academy of Applied Arts in Vienna, seven years period designing for Croatian – Yugoslav factories, leaving for Canada, 42 years of living and working in Canada: Montreal, Winnipeg, Toronto, Boston (USA) and activities as retired designer. I described every project in details, circumstances how it came to the projects, the thinking process, how I defined the design directions in the sense of market expectations, ergonomic characteristics, choice of materials, formal shape-aesthetics and choice of production technologies. This conversation has been very stimulating since I have been “forced” to remember great deel of details which have faded away with the time. Until September 2017, we exchanged many emails and I went many times for consultations to the HDD Gallery. I have known that Marko and Koraljka are exceptional writers about design topics. They have confirmed that with their accompanying text about each product presented at my exhibition. I have been especially impressed with Golub’s statement that this has been his best text ever and Koraljka said that this has been her best experience, the most painless cooperation.”

EVERYTHING WAS READY FOR THE OPENING OF EXHIBITION on September 13,2017

Davor Grünwald Retrorama of Industrial Design, 1968 – 2008 (Photograph: Monika Džakić)

Jasna Lovrincevic: “This exhibition is a great acknowledgment for your work, made in Croatia and Canada. Could this exhibition compensate, some of unpleasant moments you experinced in Yugoslav and Canadian periods?”
Davor Grunwald: “Yes, new contacts, beautiful exhibition and great response from public and media are the medicine that heals all wounds, great compensation for all my troubles which I went through. In the middle of seventies last centuries I had blocked the way of someone “above” in former Communist party (in former Yugoslavia), so they canceled all my contracts with my clients-factories. Canadian bad experience did not have political intonation; they were generated by hierarchy of power.”

Jasna Lovrincevic: “Your exhibition has generated positive responses from the Croatian media, how do you feel now?”
Davor Grunwald: “Fantastic! And for media attention you have to have some experience. I was a little bit afraid of that. It turned out just fine, so I told myself: I can do that! I feel totally fulfilled of my life mission. The fear of the question, what next? –disappeared entirely.”

Jasna Lovrincevic: “What do you like most about the exhibition: the exhibition organizers, organization, media response or public interest?”
Davor Grunwald: “If I would evaluate all you listed with numbers from 1 to 10, all of that would recive the number 10! I have already described organizers and organization. I have been surprised how the journalists came prepared with questions on the topics of industrial design which does not come up in news every day. That will remain in my memory as a very nice experience. There were many visitors at the opening celebration. Many asked me if I could recognize them. Fifty years has past and they have changed! Many admitted they did not know what I was doing all these years including some members of my family.”

Davor Grünwald

Jasna Lovrincevic: “Your biography shows your great courage and at first your self confidence. Besides your excellent education and your positive professional experience, obviously there is something more. Talent? Intuition? If you could please tell us more about that?”
Davor Grunwald: I will focus on: “obviously there is something more”, Talent? Intuition? I have developed technique of how to get familiar with the object I have to design. I try to collect all relevant informations. All of them I “deposit” in my mind and let some time to “mature”. I have strong perception; I “see” the pictures of my future designs concepts. Often I get up in the middle of night and sketch down what I “see”. In my case this could be called talent. Intuition always helps me for making important life decisions. For some of them, it takes a long period of time to prove that they have been right decisions.”

Jasna Lovrincevic: “Have you designed something new since our last conversation in March 2016?”
Davor Grunwald: “For the last ten years since I got retired, I have worked under the motto: If I need something, someone would need that too! I have created rack for Porsche Boxster, wine/oil barrel and safety bicycle stick. At the moment I am working on “garage” for bicycles and scoters. People usually use plastic covers which stronger wind can easily destroy. I have made metal construction and have covered it with strong plastic material, made to withstand strong winds.”

Jasna Lovrincevic: “How long have you been the member of Croatian Design Association (HDD), and what is in general your contribution to the Association?”
Davor Grunwald:” I am the member of HDD since its founding 30 years ago. Every year when I come to Zagreb I visit their office, but we have never developed any project together. When my professional opus has been archived by Museum for Art and Craft (MUO), there were the interest from both sides to work together. From that point it started the beautiful exhibition under the title “Davor Grunwald – Retrorama Of Industrial Design 1968 – 2008. I did the guiding tour through the exhibition, explaining all projects and answering the visitors questions. This kind of presentation allowed me to be more relaxed and spontaneous.
The promotion of my monograph in October 11, 2017 was not planned for that time and Marko Golub and Koraljka Vlajo, “Dream Team” of HDD surprised me with it and made me very happy.”

Jasna Lovrincevic: “In documentary movie, your first and famous design, under the name Sculptra, has been presented. The scenes with Sculptra, all in white, look very elegant. Who has been responsible for that visual aspects?”
Davor Grunwald: “I brought two items of Sculptra to be hanged on the wall. The cameraman came to make the movie. Spontaneously I put the Sculptra on pedestals, I turn them in such way that surface showed the most of contrast between the illuminated and in shade portions. I suggested that I should be surrounded by Sculptras because in my written materials I am claiming that Sculptra is my three-dimensional emblem. So it could be said that I am the author of this scene.”

Promotion of Davor Grunwald Monograph – Davor Grunwald Industrial Design (Photo- Leko)

Jasna Lovrincevic: “You are living on two continents! This is also very interesting. Could you tell us something about that?”
Davor Grunwald: “We come almost every summer, for short periods to Croatia. Since we got retired in 2008 we stay for six months every year, from April to October. We are traveling through Croatia visiting the places we have never seen before. Winters we spend with our children and grandchildren in Toronto.
Next year 2018 the “Zagreb” exhibition will be moved to Split, expanded with my designs I created after I got retired 2008.”

DAVOR GRUNWALD’S WELCOME SPEECH

At the opening of the exhibition Davor Grunwald Retrorama of Industrial Design, 1968 – 2008, Davor Grunwald addressed the guests with welcome speech which we are presenting here by his permission.

Good evening!

Ms Masa Milovac, President of Croatian Design Association, Your Excellency the Ambassador
of Canada, Mr. Daniel Maksymiuk and His Assistants, Dear colleagues, friends and members of my family:

It is a great pleasure to welcome all of you to this exhibition.

The highlight of my personal and professional life is happening here right now! Thank you all for coming to share this overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. In my memoirs which will be soon published in my monograph, I have written that it was not a straight success. Failures, disappointments were often part of my professinal way. The bottom line is what counts and this Exhibition has proved that it is worth to be stubborn and follow the guiding light.

Thank you Canada for accepting me and giving me a chance to nurture my talents I was born with!
Thank you Croatian Ministry of Culture and City of Zagreb for your sponsorship.
Thank you HDD’s “Dream Team”: Koraljka Vlajo, Marko Golub, Barbara Blasin, Miran Krcadinac, Ksenija Zakula and Monika Dzakic for your extraordinary efforts to set up this Exhibition.

Thank you!

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.

Luis Alberto Lovrincevich

Luis Alberto Lovrincevich, the artist of great imagination and creativity, has been developing his art and his own technique since his early childhood. It has started as a child’s game that has awakened the imagination and curiosity to the Luis Lovrincevich, a game that has become more complex and more attractive, and that outgrew into an art of different forms and colors with a distinctive expressiveness.

Luis Alberto Lovrincevich is an Argentinian, a descendant of Croatian emigrants who moved to Argentina from the island of Hvar in the late nineteenth century. Lovrincevich was born and he lives in city of La Rioja.

He is known for the technique called urdiraña. In an interview that I conducted with him in June of 2014 he said that a word urdiraña he had taken from poetry of Argentine poet Marie Arguello, because the word urdiraña, (“warp” and “spider) is associated with his work process consisting of pulling the thread over the picked pins.

Luis Lovrincevich: “Urdiraña is a word created by a poet Maria Arguello from La Rioja, connected with the concept of “urdi ” what means to pull the thread and ” raña ” what means spider, to denote the type of art.”

When Luis Lovrincevich was five years old he for the first time run the thread among the pins picked in a cardboard box, set on the triangle drawn on the box surface in a spontaneous game with cardboard box, metal pins and thread. He was excited about that and he was engrossed in this kind of play in his early childhood. His curious boyish spirit drove him to further research for new opportunities and these resulting creations encouraged him to create new ones.

The spontaneous child’s play developed into artistic creativity that repeatedly finds inspiration. Luis Alberto Lovrincevich first exhibition was in 1977 in the Center Hotel, in his hometown of La Rioja, the capital of the Rioja Province situated in northwestern Argentina. He has exhibited in various Argentinien Cities such as (Buenos Aires, Neuquen, Cordoba, Mendoza, San Juan) and in Mexico and Uruguay, too.

Luis Alberto Lovrincevich went through various stages of his art creation

Luis Alberto Lovrincevich: “As a boy I created geometric figures, and in adolescence time, he created human figures with the same technique. In the adulthood I applied painting techniques as perspective, color game and movement through colors and lines. Through this study I was able to achieve, like the painters, the third dimension by manipulating the thickness and amount of woof. In this sense, I was able to express the fourth dimension (hyper space, Tesseract). In the last stage, I worked metaphysically and achieved the harmony of shapes, colors and perspectives. Through meditation I have transferred the peace into my work. ”

 
Jasna Lovrinčević: “What does it mean for you to work metaphysically?”
Luis Lovrincevich: “One’s spiritual crisis that I had in my life allowed me to return to my art on a new technical level, with another vision of life. That is reflected in the expression of my work.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “How did you discover your talent?”
Luis Lovrincevich: “Playing around with a cardboard, a pin and thread. On the box I drew a triangle by the pencil, set the pins at certain intervals by the sides of a triangle and I made lines by the thread. That led me think about it and encouraged me to continue playing. ”

At the request to describe the process of work and this original authentic technique, Luis Lovrincevich explained:

Luis Lovrincevich: “Firstly, you protect wooden surface on which you are drown figures by the pencil. Metal pins are placed at intervals of five millimeter and protected by anti-corrosive agent. On the wooden surface background color is applied. At that point it begins the process of forming a figure by the thread. The perspective is expressed by a color and shape of the thread and that gives the identity of that art which I have created.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “What kind of material do you use for your work?”

Luis Lovrincevich: “I use Chapadur (the name of the color and protection agent for wood), steel nails, sewing thread and paraffin oil for protection against damage.”

Going through the various stages of artistic creation Luis Alberto Lovrincevich has created a rich body of work. One of his works presents the image of St Nicholas. As there is a hill above the village of Sveta Nedjelja on the south part of island Hvar, called St Nichola, with the chapel on the top of it dedicated to St Nicholas too (among the village people known as St. Mikula), I asked him if he had chosen this motive related to his Croatian origin.

Luis Lovrincevich: “In the province of La Rioja Catholic faith is practiced, but this is also a part of the family tradition.”

Luis Alberto Lovrincevich was born in 1960 in La Rioja. Exhibitions with his new concept he held in March 2013th in Villa Sanagasta in La Rioja, Villa Maria in Cordoba 2012th.

Gabrijela Iva Polic

Gabrijela Iva Polic, the young painter from Sydney, was preparing her paintings for the exhibition entitled Sydney Who at The Hughes Gallery in Surry Hills from May 01 – June 10., when she answered my questions about her art, her inspiration and her searching for an own way of art expression.

She finished the College of Fine Arts in Sydney at the end of the year 2013, and she was immediately invited to take part in this exhibition at The Hughes Gallery.

Jasna Lovrinčević: “What does this exhibition mean for you?“
Gabrijela Iva Polic: “For me the exhibition is very important because of the gallery I am working with. The Hughes Gallery currently represented very established Australian artists and they have been known to help start the careers of very recognised artists who are now internationally known. I am just happy that a gallery of such stature has acknowledged me at such an early stage in my career.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “When did you discover your talent for painting and how?“
Gabrijela Iva Polic: “I have been creating things ever since I was a child, and have always loved using my hands. But I must admit when I entered art school I was not a skill-ful painter at all. I struggled with technique a lot at art school, and was not happy with my lack of knowledge in techniques so I would explore alternatives and other media which would hide my lack of knowledge, such as collage or sewing. I always tried to make something beautiful, something I would be proud of, without having to make a proper painting. Last year, 2013, was my final year of university and I was fed up with the fact that I went to art school to learn how to paint, but no teacher really ever taught me anything. I knew I had the desire and the ability to do well at painting if I put my mind to it, but contemporary art schools in Australia rarely teach traditional techniques any more as they push for artists to broaden their mind and create new and exciting things. Much of the time they steer us painters away from painting and lead us to new mediums like video art, photography, sculpture, installation etc. For the reason that I was not increasing my technical knowledge I sought a mentor to teach me techniques I wanted to learn. Her name is Marisa Purcell, she a well recognised and established Australian artist. From our first lesson my skills increased tenfold. I was in the studio every day from 7:30-4 every single day practising, practising, practising and experimenting. I was the only one in school who did this, I was the first one there in the morning and sometimes the last to leave. I got to the stage where I am now, but I still have a lot to learn.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “Where do you find inspiration?”
Gabrijela Iva Polic: “My latest body of work was inspired by the photographic work of Andres Miguel, in particular ‘Woodland Magic’. This work is a photograph of two mushrooms in a beautiful forest. I discovered that mushrooms or fungus exchange minerals and nutrients for sugar with surrounding trees. This photograph made me think of our relationships as humans, and how we give nutrients to each other in the form of loving relationships (friends, family etc). I always think of a quote by C.S. Lewis who once said “It is our friendships that give value to survival”. The idea of these relationships that have intrinsic value in our lives is why I adorn some of the paintings with cell-like patterns that can look like pearls or clusters of diamonds, necklaces or jewellery. In saying this, my work is deeply personal and most of the pictures and compositions come from my own imagination, intuition and emotions. I have only recently (the last week) begun to look at scientific botanical illustration so I can continue and expand this body of work.

Jasna Lovrinčević: “I have seen some of your paintings with beautiful schapes and colours. Some of them remind me of some sea-creatures or cells, what does it mean; life as inspiration, or life creation as inspiration, or God’s creation as eternal beauty….”
Gabrijela Iva Polić: “You are very right in seeing creatures and cells in the paintings. Many times these creatures in my paintings have relationships and connections to each other where they are feeding off, growing from and nurturing one another. In nature, these relationships between different species are called mutualistic relationships. Here one creature/animal/plant will help the other survive by protecting them and giving them nutrients. I use these creatures and scenes in nature as a metaphor for how we live in relationships as humans. Without our loving friends and family, our lives are dull. They give us joy, purpose, support and emotional strength. This, I think is what like is all about, these connections and relationships. Without them we would have nothing and our souls would be dull. Throughout life we meet many people on the way. As we interact and spend time with friends, we sometimes unknowingly, learn from them, take on some of their interests, ways of thinking or speaking, and develop as a person. Through all of these relationships we blossom into the person that we are. It is just like how flowers and bees work.

Jasna Lovrinčević: “You have once mentioned that love is your inspiration; if you could please say more about that. Where does it reflect; in your choice of colours, or motives, or in something else?”

Gabrijela Iva Polic: “My teachers would always say to me, paint about what is important to you. Many young and contemporary artists make art about politics and all the things that are wrong with this world. I am not concerned with politics, I have never cared much for it, I am interested in the things that make me joyful and the things that bring me to despair. Although joy and sadness are completely different, much of the time these strong emotions come from love. Love, can equally make us blissful or distraught. Through the act of painting, I seek to understand love and it’s impact on myself. When I am making a painting, sometimes I remember a hard time in my life and I tap into those emotions. I think of the people who were with me, how they protected me and cared for me. I think of the love hold in my heart for my dearest ones and try to put this into the work. As I mentioned before, it is these loving relationships that help us grow. I think this can be seen in the colour and compositions. How the elements in the picture work together and talk to each other.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “What do you think: is it hard for young artists to be original, to find their own way, or own style of painting?”
Gabrijela Iva Polic: “At first I think it is very hard to develop your own language as an artist. But I think this comes with time and persistence. The only way you will be original and develop your own style is to work every single day.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “What kind of technique do you prefer?”
Gabrijela Iva Polic: “Sometimes I can sit and paint dots all day because it is very meditative. Other times I can be more free with a large brush. It really depends on how I am feeling on the day.”

Jasna Lovrinčević: “Who is your favourite painter? Is there any painter who has influenced your work?“
Gabrijela Iva Polic: “Del Kathryn Barton has always been a large influence from the start of my studies. The sense of connection in her work is always what draws me in.
Ross Bleckner is another artist I am inspired by.”

Gabrijela Iva Polic has also mentioned the names of her famous teachers like David Eastwood, famous for painting interiors, Oliver Watts, theorist, lecturer, and artist, famous for portraiture and Marisa Purcell, famous for her abstract paintings.

Gabijela was born in Sydney. Her origin is Croatian. Her parents came to Australia from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Gabriela often travels to Europe.