NMMU: What do you remember most about your childhood in Dubrovnik?
Dubravka Lošić: I grew up in Montovjerna, a then sparsely populated hillside dotted with pine and cypress trees. It was a part of the city that braved all winds and, at the time, was filled with birdsong. It was a place where people came to the “basket weaver” and “to see the birds.” Everything felt like an adventure, something hard to imagine today.
NMMU: What were you like as a child?
Dubravka Lošić: Curious and headstrong.
NMMU: Does artistic talent run in your family, who did you inherit it from?
Dubravka Lošić: Creativity was a valued trait on both sides of my family, from both my mother’s and father’s lineages.
NMMU: How much time did you spend with your grandparents, who owned a textile workshop, and did they pass their craft on to you?
Dubravka Lošić: My father’s family operated knitting workshops. My grandfather moved the business from Slavonia to Dubrovnik, where my parents continued the work. Since the workshop was located “right by the house,” it became a natural part of our daily lives, a space where we children would play and learn. They produced a variety of garments, starting with “custom” orders and later transitioning to large-scale production. They followed trends closely, always attuned to which colours were in fashion; navy, sky blue, burgundy, beige... knitted sets in particular patterns... different types and blends of yarn… cotton, wool, acrylic, perlon, bouclé... I could list these terms endlessly. Growing up surrounded by them from such a young age, I assumed everyone knew them.
NMMU: Have you yourself ever made a piece of clothing?
Dubravka Lošić: When I was five, I made a long pink coat on a knitting machine all by myself. It was a bit too “extravagant,” so I wasn’t allowed to wear it for every occasion. I remember it clearly, as well as the passion with which I defended it just the way it was. As I got older, things changed “in my favour,” and I started making and wearing whatever I wanted…
NMMU: Did you have any artistic connections with Jagoda Buić?
Dubravka Lošić: The first time I encountered her work, it made a strong impression on me. I would say that it still has the same effect today.
NMMU: How do you remember the war years in Dubrovnik?
Dubravka Lošić: Regardless of age, war always comes at a “bad time.” The memories, despite our efforts to suppress them, remain sharp... Everything felt humiliating... the killings, the destruction, the lack of water and electricity... I remember a certain naivety and self-deception, believing that once we survived, we would all become grateful and noble...
NMMU: During that time, you exhibited in Paris, initially in a group show at the Grand Palais, which led to an invitation for a solo exhibition. Which works did you show?
Dubravka Lošić: I showcased works from the Rosary, To the Dear Leader, and Portraits series.
NMMU: Where did you store your works during the war, and how did you pack them for transport during air raids and curfews? How did you manage to get them to Paris?
Dubravka Lošić: I managed somehow; I didn’t focus on the obstacles... The key was organising everything so the works could be shipped by sea to Rijeka, via Zelenika (where “special control” was in place), then to Zagreb and on to Paris. I had the help of friends. We came up with a way to protect them, packing them at dawn in the yard before the shelling started... with special permits, they were transported in refrigerated trucks that returned empty from Dubrovnik, and then by lorry from Zagreb to Paris.
NMMU: What impact did the war have on your family?
Dubravka Lošić: Unfortunately, wars have always been, and still are, either within our borders or close by... A large part of my family is currently facing the horrors in Ukraine... I remember how my grandmother, who survived a concentration camp during World War II, would always raise a glass to world peace at our family gatherings.
NMMU: What memories do you have of the painter Ferdinand Kulmer, who was your professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb?
Dubravka Lošić: We first met in Venice, after having passed each other several times in the streets, at an exhibition at Palazzo Grassi. When we met again that autumn in the hallway of the Academy, he recognised me, as the memory was still quite fresh. An indescribable encounter, and even more so, the experience of studying in his class.
NMMU: Having lost your studios, how challenging has it been for you to adapt to new spaces?
Dubravka Lošić: It’s stressful living with the constant uncertainty of whether I’ll have to leave a space in a month or a year. But when I’m working, I try not to dwell on it. In every space I’ve worked in – each one completely different, with its own layers of memory – I’ve managed to connect with the energy and continue working effectively. It does take time to adjust to a new space.
NMMU: Travel is one of your great passions: where would you like to go next?
Dubravka Lošić: There’s never enough travel; I love to travel, anywhere…
NMMU: What inspires you the most?
Dubravka Lošić: Inspiration comes from many sources; it’s just a matter of when something truly resonates with us.
NMMU: What themes occupy your mind the most, and how quickly do you create?
Dubravka Lošić: The themes are countless and inexhaustible. Certain ideas linger with me for years, patiently waiting until I’m ready for them, while others – at least that’s how I feel – come together more swiftly. The same applies to my creative process.
NMMU: You are the first artist to exhibit in the new space of the National Museum of Modern Art in the Octagon. How significant is this for you?
Dubravka Lošić: The Octagon space, though still not fully adapted for exhibitions, is challenging in its own right, which I found stimulating. This is why I immediately accepted Branko Franceschi’s offer. Several factors aligned, and for that, I feel both happy and thankful.
NMMU: How do you unwind?
Dubravka Lošić: In various ways, I don’t have a set routine.
NMMU: You don’t give up on swimming in the sea during winter...?
Dubravka Lošić: Well, I don’t give up easily, but I also know my limits. On the first day of this year, being in the sea was a true pleasure.
NMMU: What are your hopes, expectations, and plans for 2025?
Dubravka Lošić: Lately, I’ve been thinking I spend too much time around lorries and trailers. I don’t think that’s my destiny.
Interviewed by: Lana Šetka© National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
The portrait of Dubravka Lošić in the NMMU’s Octagon – as well as her 2023 work Oblique Flight, which incorporates details from Ukrainian scarves displayed in the Octagon – was photographed by Veronica Arevalo in 2024.