Following its premiere presentation at the City Museum of Nova Gradiška, the exhibition Couples in Croatian Visual Art: Dialogues of Intimacy and Creativity, part of the NMMU on Tour programme, had been opened on 12 June at the Exhibition Hall of the Međimurje Museum in Čakovec.
According to the exhibition's curator, Tatijana Gareljić, Museum Adviser at the National Museum of Modern Art (NMMU), the exhibition presents a unique overview of artistic partnerships that have shaped the development of the Croatian visual arts from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Drawing on works from the collections of the National Museum of Modern Art, it explores the lives and creative practices of artists connected through romantic, marital, life and artistic partnerships, examining how personal relationships influenced artistic expression, the exchange of ideas and knowledge, shared interests, and the development of distinct individual artistic identities.
Spanning the period from Art Nouveau to the present and featuring 30 works by 15 distinguished artistic couples, the exhibition is presented in a partially revised installation compared to its debut in Nova Gradiška. Through paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, and new media works, it traces the transformation of artistic authorship, the changing role of the artist, and the evolution of artistic media and practices. At the same time, it demonstrates that artistic couples represent far more than private relationships—they have been important agents of cultural and artistic change. Their partnerships reveal the complex dynamics of collaboration and artistic independence, mutual influence, and divergent creative paths.
Particular attention is devoted to women artists whose contributions have often remained overshadowed by those of their better-known partners, inviting a fresh interpretation of Croatian art history through the lens of relationships, dialogue, and collaborative creativity.

The exhibition will remain on view at the Međimurje Museum in Čakovec until 30 August, offering visitors an opportunity to discover Croatian art from a different perspective—through the personal connections, collaborations, and creative partnerships that have left a lasting mark on the nation's cultural heritage.

Featured artists: Bela Čikoš Sesija and Slava Raškaj; Menci Clement Crnčić and Lina Virant Crnčić; Rudolf and Helena Valdec; Branko Šenoa and Nasta Rojc; Ivan and Ruža Meštrović; Viktor Bernfest and Mila Wod; Krsto and Branka Hegedušić; Frano Šimunović and Ksenija Kantoci; Mladen Galić and Ljerka Šibenik; Branko Vujanović and Zdenka Pozaić; Ratko Petrić and Jadranka Fatur; Željko Jerman and Vlasta Delimar; Peruško Bogdanić and Neda Miranda Blažević-Krietzman; Dan Oki and Sandra Sterle; and Stjepan Šandrk and Martina Grlić.

The exhibition has been organised in collaboration between the National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb, and the Međimurje Museum Čakovec, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, Međimurje County, and the City of Čakovec.

Reproduced works: Neda Miranda Blažević-Krietzman, The Kiss on V-J Day in Times Square, New York, 1945, 2012. Photocollage on paper, 90 × 60 cm. Inv. No. MG-7345. / Peruško Bogdanić, Don Juan, or Love of Geometry, 1989. Acrylic on paper, 140 × 200 cm. Inv. No. MG-5955. / Ratko Petrić, Thorn, 1987. Cast bronze and aluminium, 70 × 28 × 54 cm. Inv. No. MG-5894. / Jadranka Fatur, Bus Station, 1975. Oil on canvas, 160 × 130 cm. Inv. No. MG-4077.

Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb