Today, the renowned Croatian sculptor and medallist Damir Mataušić generously donated two of his works to the National Museum of Modern Art. These include the intimate medallic polyptych “Identity” from 2019 and the honorary medal of the XIV Ivo Kerdić Memorial from 2022. Both pieces were exhibited at FIDEM’s international exhibitions of contemporary medals – the first in Tokyo in 2020 and the second in Florence in 2023.
The Museum holdings currently includes, largely thanks to Damir Mataušić, around thirty works by the artist, including a silver medal struck in 2015 on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the former Modern Gallery. This donation significantly enriched the NMMA’s Collection of Medals and Plaques with recent works by Mataušić. Alongside Branko Franceschi, the director of the NMMA, the artist’s donation to the museum was received by the museum consultant and head of the Sculpture Collection and Collection of Medals and Plaques at the NMMA, Tatijana Gareljić.

Damir Mataušić is an artist with over five decades of experience in medallic art, known for his distinctive expression and defined artistic poetics successfully applied across several sculptural disciplines: from medals, coins, ceremonial chains, and honours to small-scale sculptures, reliefs, and public monuments. He created a wide range of sculptures, from intimate to official, public, and sacred, each crafted with profound perception and exceptional dedication to detail. A hallmark of Mataušić’s work is the use of various materials, with polished metals dominating, crafted with technical precision in inventive compositions. The value of his work synthesises historical and cultural heritage while maintaining the dignity of artistic creation. Mataušić’s understated persona equally anticipates complex contemporary artistic challenges, resulting in a distinctive medallic oeuvre that holds a respected position in contemporary Croatian visual arts.

Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Images: Director of NMMA Branko Franceschi, uartist Damir Mataušić, museum consultant Tatijana Gareljić / Photo: from the National Museum of Modern Art's archives, Zagreb, 2024
medallic poliyptich by Damir Mataušić "Identity", 2019 / Photo: Petar Strmečki / Courtesy of the Artist
Damir Mataušić, honorary medal of the XIV Ivo Kerdić Memorial from 2022 / Photo: Petar Strmečki / Courtesy of the Artist