NMMU: Rain evokes nostalgia in some, romance in others, and inspiration in you. Tell us about your painting cycle "Rijeka rains", which you are currently presenting in the exhibition of the same name at the Josip Račić Gallery.
Kruno Vrgoč: I have always felt the need to contribute to the city of Rijeka on an artistic level. This is how the "Rijeka rains" cycle was born, as rain is one of the city's peculiar symbols. After artistic exploration, I found the expressive language that suited me best. The cycle has been in the making for five years, starting with the "zero rain." The works are still not entirely finished and will always remain present in my work. It is difficult for me to talk about emotions, but my current mood influences my work on the canvas. In real-time weather conditions, I feel the atmosphere and try to transfer it onto the canvas.

NMMU: When is Rijeka at its most beautiful?
Kruno Vrgoč: I don't observe Rijeka through the seasons, times of day, or weather conditions. For me, Rijeka is a unique city, regardless of the weather.

NMMU: Your favorite place in the city?
Kruno Vrgoč: The current ArtKvart, but I have been coming there for the past thirty years, so even before ArtKvart, it was ArtKvart. Also, the Gala Caffe, where I designed the interior twenty-five, thirty years ago, and where I still enjoy going today.

NMMU: As a child, did you dream about what you wanted to become when you grew up?
Kruno Vrgoč: As a child, I always thought I would be a chemist. But in high school, I realized that art was the calling I wanted to pursue in life. If I weren’t an artist, I would probably be a chef.

NMMU: Why a chef?
Kruno Vrgoč: I love both cooking and eating. I was even a chef in my own restaurant, which was somewhat of an improvisation because I didn’t fully understand what I was getting into. My mother was a professional cook, so I likely inherited my love of cooking from her. Since she worked two or three shifts, I couldn’t cook with her, but I would call her, and she would explain how to prepare something, and I would cook it. She taught me to make soups and omelets. I think I am the world champion of omelets! If I told you all the ingredients I use, I could open a restaurant just serving them.

NMMU: How did you get the idea to open a restaurant?
Kruno Vrgoč: After finishing the Academy and quitting teaching, I didn’t have a job, so I started working as a waiter. I kind of liked it. That’s when I met Zlaja, my future business partner, and in 1994, we opened the restaurant Morski pas (Sea Dog). He was the "front of house" since he was a professional waiter, and I was the "back of house" as a semi-trained cook. I only prepared blue fish, octopus, squid, shrimp, sardines, and anchovies. That was my culinary range, and I did well with it.

NMMU: How did you choose the name "Morski pas" (Sea Dog)?
Kruno Vrgoč: Have you ever been to England? When you see names like Three-Horned Stag or At the Wild Boar, I thought, why not name my place Morski pas (Sea Dog)? I loved the TV show Only Fools and Horses and Monty Python. It was a serious influence on me, and the restaurant reflected that. During the war, it was a haven for people who thought differently, those who loved blues and jazz—Nat King Cole to Clapton. That was also my music, apart from hardcore, which I still enjoy.

NMMU: Did you follow classic recipes, or were they your interpretations?
Kruno Vrgoč: It was always something new, though the base remained familiar—you can’t skip essential steps. If you make a marinade, you know how it’s done, but I’d add a spice to make it different. I started making vinegar with sage and rosemary, so our kitchen developed a distinct personal touch.

NMMU: What was the most interesting dish on the menu?
Kruno Vrgoč: Anchovy carpaccio and fried sardines. And we had a dish called Sipice—tiny cuttlefish, cleaned and fried. We served them in the Istrian tradition, with boiled chard and potatoes.

NMMU: Why did you close the restaurant?
Kruno Vrgoč: Morski pas was a small house by the sea in Žurkovo Bay, near Rijeka. Since I was only serving seafood, it became financially unsustainable after five years. I could write a book about it, but I’m "illiterate" for that. Instead, I went back to sculpture, and my studio became my new creative hub.

NMMU: What do you enjoy cooking the most for yourself?
Kruno Vrgoč: Everything! I have connections in Istria for top-quality ingredients—meat, vegetables, truffles—and good relations with fishermen, so I always have excellent seafood. I love cooking for friends too.

NMMU: What made you choose art as your profession?
Kruno Vrgoč: Drawing and painting always brought me joy. I realized I would always do it, but for a while, I looked for another career. Then I understood that there was no need to overthink it.

NMMU: Were you worried about making a living from art?
Kruno Vrgoč: I was more aware of that later. My father, a lawyer and a traditionalist, expected me to join his practice. When I failed my first attempt to enroll at the Academy in Zagreb in 1977, I returned to Rijeka and studied law. I completed a few years, but after being accepted into the sculpture program at the Faculty of Education in Rijeka, I left law.

NMMU: How did your father react?
Kruno Vrgoč: He kicked me out of the house! But that was normal for a partisan. Eventually, he accepted it, though he never fully came to terms with it.

NMMU: What do you remember most about your professors Josip Diminić and Žarko Violić, under whom you graduated in sculpture at the Department of Fine Arts at the Faculty of Education in Rijeka?
Kruno Vrgoč: I remember professors Josip Diminić and Žarko Violić for giving me complete freedom and, in their own pedagogical way, influencing my artistic work and shaping me as an artist.

NMMU: Is there a particular theme that has preoccupied you since childhood?
Kruno Vrgoč: There isn’t a specific theme that has preoccupied me since childhood, except that, like any child, I used to draw a lot. It was only in high school that I became aware that art could become my profession.

NMMU: Who bought your first artwork? And who are the buyers of your works today?
Kruno Vrgoč: My first artwork—or rather, several of them—was bought by a friend of mine. Today, my buyers are mostly middle-class individuals who are financially well-off and want to enrich their spaces with my works.

NMMU: How do you determine the price of your works?
Kruno Vrgoč: It depends on how much money I need, the situation, and the buyer’s perception. Art is difficult to measure. I have friends who made fortunes in sports, like Olympic champions. Their achievements are measured in milliseconds. Art has no such measure.

NMMU: Do buyers consult you when selecting your works? Do they invite you to their homes to get a sense of the space where the artwork will be placed?
Kruno Vrgoč: Very often, they do. People come to me, and we work it out together. But basically, when they see my works, if I need to create new ones, we discuss it. I usually make three or four pieces right away because I start from my own perspective—I believe it’s logical for someone to have a choice. In the end, I always sell those works; the only question is whether they stay in the studio for a longer or shorter period.

NMMU: Has it ever happened that a buyer placed your work somewhere or paired it with something that didn’t align with your aesthetic?
Kruno Vrgoč: It’s hard to comment on that because once they become the owners of the works, they have the right to place them wherever they want. You know, some have even come to me asking if they could add a bit of yellow to a painting.

NMMU: To match their sofa?
Kruno Vrgoč: Hahaha, there’s been all sorts of things… It was never boring, that’s for sure! But I completely understand them, because they don’t fully grasp what I do, so I have to understand them instead. Their requests and suggestions can sometimes be quite strange. They come to my studio, choose paintings, and ask for my advice, but when I recommend something, they often say they prefer another piece. That’s why I tell them we should start with what they like. People seek validation for their choices.
When, in September last year, I sold a small piece for €1,000 at an auction at the Drouot auction house in Paris, I received a document—more for the buyers than for myself—because it serves as proof of value. People need confirmation of their decisions. We don’t really have an established art market here, which creates a big challenge.
On a personal level, I try to make things easier for buyers. The real value of something that is intangible… I create paintings and sculptures, but whether I am an artist—I don’t know. Time will be the judge of that. If, one day, someone places me within a broader historical context, perhaps my work will have value, or perhaps it won’t. I don’t know… but we don’t have any other parameter for measuring that. And that’s a bit of a predicament.

NMMU: How are prices formed?
Kruno Vrgoč: It depends on how much money you need, the situation at hand, and the assessment of both the seller and the buyer. There are many factors, all of which are essentially psychological in nature. It’s very difficult to determine the value of something immeasurable. I have friends who have made a lot of money in sports—Olympic champions, gold medalists, and so on. Many of them have bought my work, and we’ve often talked about this. We’re always searching for a standard of measurement. Ana Jelušić’s performance could be measured in hundredths of a second—I cannot be measured in that way, I don’t have that standard. And yet, I would say that art and sports are equally valuable. You see, I don’t know who sets these values.
When pricing my works, I take into account the amount of work, time, and the region in which I live. The same work would likely be priced higher in Zagreb due to greater purchasing power. There is no real, objective parameter.

NMMU: What is your opinion on artificial intelligence and its application in visual arts?
Kruno Vrgoč: I don’t have a strong opinion on artificial intelligence, and it’s difficult for me to comment on its application in visual arts for the simple reason that AI only knows what has been pre-programmed into it. It has no personal experience or emotions.

NMMU: Although sculpture is your primary vocation, you also paint. Is there another medium you would like to explore?
Kruno Vrgoč: I would love to work in other media and realize certain ideas, but I’m very aware that their execution depends on financial resources.

NMMU: How much time do you spend in your studio, which in the 1950s was the first artistic bronze foundry in Rijeka? Over the past twenty years, has it become more than just a workspace for you? Can you share any memorable events, anecdotes, or artists who have visited?
Kruno Vrgoč: I spend entire days in my studio, without strictly defined working hours—including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays—practically every day of the year. The space has definitely become much more than just a workspace; it is also a place for communication and socializing. It’s difficult to single out a specific moment, anecdote, or artist, as things happen daily, making it nearly impossible to choose just one.

NMMU: You have visited China twice?
Kruno Vrgoč: I first visited China in 2019 at the invitation of my friend Gordan Novak, who is also involved in art in a certain way—he was a printmaker. I met him six or seven years ago through a dear friend of mine who deals in art sales in Paris. He visited me in my studio, saw my work, and said, “You know, this isn’t bad! Would you come to China?” I replied, “Why not, let’s give it a try!”
I have very fond memories of China—its people, culture, and food. That’s why it’s no coincidence that I returned in 2024, and I don’t think that story is over yet. I’m definitely considering an exhibition, but many things have to fall into place. You can’t prepare an exhibition from Croatia—you need to be there for at least three to six months, and that’s not cheap. Right now, things are unfolding in an interesting way, but we’ll see what happens. I don’t think about it as something I must do, but rather as something that will happen naturally.

NMMU: Were you there when the Covid-19 pandemic started?
Kruno Vrgoč: When I was in China in 2019, there was no fear of Covid yet—the virus was unknown, and the pandemic began in December. I used to joke that I was the one who brought the virus to Europe, but in reality, we had no idea what was happening at the time.

NMMU: The mentioned pandemic changed the world. That long period of social isolation transformed people and their relationships. How did that time reflect on your creative work?
Kruno Vrgoč: Covid definitely influenced my creative process by freeing me from certain routines I hadn’t even been aware of before. My studio was always lively, but when we went into lockdown, all those routines suddenly changed.
There was an enormous surplus of time, which led me to new reflections on the theme of Rijeka’s rains—something that inspired this entire period and has shaped my continuous work over the past five years. That extra time allowed me to fully dedicate myself to this cycle, alongside my usual work on sculptures and abstractions.
During Covid and the increased isolation, I worked more, which resulted in a higher production volume. Of course, this process isn’t over yet, but perhaps the intensity will decrease now, as it has led to new ideas. Work defines you by opening new creative fields.

NMMU: You played handball?
Kruno Vrgoč: Yes, I played amateur handball from the age of ten until I was thirty-two, but not anymore. Now, I take great care of myself because I need a bit more strength for the larger sculptures I create. I compensate for that with lifts and other equipment, so it all works out.

NMMU: How do you maintain your vitality now?
Kruno Vrgoč: I exercise regularly! I practiced yoga for a long time, and now I mostly do mobility exercises to stay agile for my work. I train almost every day, but nothing too intense—I don’t go to the gym. Walking and cycling are the best, though I don’t use a bike much because I live in Rijeka. I love mornings and waking up early, so meditation is a key part of my routine. I meditate for an hour to an hour and a half, and it helps me start the day feeling centered and at peace. I believe yoga and meditation are very important—on a mental level, for balance.

Interwieved by Lana Šetka © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Reproductions:
(1) Kruno Vrgoč and NMMU director Branko Franceschi at the opening of the artist’s exhibition at the Josip Račić Gallery in Zagreb
(2) View of the exhibition Rijeka’s Rains by Kruno Vrgoč at the Josip Račić Gallery / Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
(3) Portrait of Kruno Vrgoč (detail) / from the artist’s archive
(4) Kruno Vrgoč’s studio in Rijeka / Photo: Aleš Suk / Courtesy of the artist
(5) Kruno Vrgoč next to a sculpture in progress in his studio (detail) / Photo from the artist’s archive – Courtesy of the artist
(6) Metal works by Kruno Vrgoč in his studio / Photo: Aleš Suk / Courtesy of the artist