Zlatan Vehabović’s exhibition “An Atlas of a Smaller World”, realised in collaboration between the National Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Arts and Crafts, was presented today at a press conference in the NMMU in Zagreb. The NMMU director Branko Franceschi, who is the co-author, together with the artist, of the visual set-up, made introductory remarks, followed by Miroslav Gašparović, director of the Museum of Arts and Crafts and author of the project concept, initiated in 2019. Mr. Gašparović expressed regret that Zlatan Vehabović’s exhibition, inspired by the selected works from the Museum of Arts and Crafts’ holdings, could not be presented at the museum because of extensive damage to the building caused by the Zagreb earthquake. He therefore thanked Branko Franceschi for hosting the exhibition at the NMMU.
Art historian and critic Sandra Križić Roban, PhD, one of the authors of the texts in the monograph accompanying the exhibition, spoke about her first encounter with the presented works of Zlatan Vehabović in the artist’s studio, as well as the specific connection between the artist’s works and photography. Zlatan Vehabović, in turn, emphasised his great pleasure that the National Museum of Modern Art became the home of his exhibition conceived by the Museum of Arts and Crafts.
The NMMU director Branko Franceshi concluded the press conference with the announcement on the closing of the chronological display of the NMMU Collection and the shortened duration of the exhibition “Mannerism in 20th and 21st Century Croatian Art” to 13 February, because of the start of the Vranyczany Palace structural renovation. While noting that part of the Palace’s first floor will remain in operation, alternating phenomenological presentations of the Museum collection and temporary exhibitions.
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: From the National Museum of Modern Art's archives © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb