This Monday the exhibition Perceptions came to Croatia’s capital. Forum Gallery in central Zagreb became a home for art pieces by ten female artists from Zagreb and Labin: Monika Milas, Glorija Blazinšek, Alba Miočev, Marina Rajšić, Hana Hanak, Sanda Črnelić, Meri Files, Anja Juričić, Iris Poljan and Eni Blašković.
The curatorial concept of Perceptions came from the mutual synergy of two art historians and friends, Stephanie Peršić and Marta Radman, whose intention was to provide a platform where artists can create artwork that truly resonates with them – their observations, emotions, and perception of their lives while using various techniques, including ceramics, sculptural installations, photography, textile techniques, traditional painting and newer, digital technologies. We had a virtual early morning coffee and talked about art, women in culture and discovering young talents.
How did Perceptions happen? What was your motivation for starting this project?
Stephanie: It started with friendship. That is the main difference from other projects. Marta and I wanted to collaborate on a project, and the idea came from one conversation in the summer of 2022. We gathered the artists we work with who are not fully established to help them break through on the scene. It was for the artists who were starting their careers or had a break from their art. We wanted to create a platform for them to showcase their art and gain more visibility and connections – that was our primary motivation.
Marta: Stephanie and I are friends from university and we went through the beginnings together. When you are in your 20s, you are questioning yourself and trying to find your place on the art and cultural scene. You are applying to many positions, trying to get your dream job, but it seems difficult and hard to get. When you don’t get positions in galleries after spending so much time in applications, as an artist or a curator, you feel down and not motivated, but that’s why it’s important to surround yourself with quality people from the industry who became your friends. Stephanie and I got our jobs in the same year in beautiful institutions, she became a chief curator in Labin Public Art Gallery and I started to work for the National Museum of Modern Art. As we gained experience in those institutions, we decided to get together and create our own concept and structure our project.
There are five artists from Zagreb, and five from Labin, representing two cultural circles. Are you planning to expand the exhibition for artists from other cities, creating a parallel between those (other) cultural centers?
Stephanie: In this particular project, the cities of Zagreb and Labin as two cultural centers were one of the key factors. Perceptions can be interpreted through different dimensions and layers of the project. Marta found the artists who work and live in Zagreb, but that does not necessarily mean that they are originally from there. In Labin, there is another phenomenon, many left the city and started to live in other cultural centers. The connection between Zagreb and Labin goes back to the 80s, when there were many artistic movements and exchange of information between artists and art historians, including the key figures in Croatian arts. With time, Labin’s big circle of artists became smaller, and those who stayed have side jobs that are not connected to art. Therefore, this aspect of reconnecting the two centers became a crucial part of this project.
Marta: Honestly, we did not expect Perceptions to become so well received, especially this year. The first Perceptions exhibition was held in Labin Public Art Gallery, and it was the most visited exhibition at the gallery last year. We are grateful to the galleries who welcomed us, and the people who visited the exhibition during this period, including Gallery Kortil in Rijeka where we had a great time. With this exhibition opening in Forum Gallery, we fulfilled the Labin-Zagreb connection. Now, we have become close with our ten artists and we are happy to spend time with them in planning and setting up the upcoming exhibitions in the region.
Another aim of Perceptions was to create a platform for new, young female artists. What does the process of curating an exhibition look like? Do the artists reach out to you or do you find them?
Stephanie: At the Labin Public Art Gallery, we often have invitations to tenders. When the artist reaches out, I am their first contact point and have insight into all applications, and with some, I became close friends. We are always happy to discover new artists, but of course, we are always engaged as well. We are looking at other galleries’ programs, academies, national art platforms, and social media. We wanted to encourage young artists to contact us.
Marta: I have a slightly different experience as I started in anti-institutional circles, more freelance, similar to Perceptions. I found the artists, developed projects myself and looked for funding. Since I started my job as a curator in the National Museum for Modern Art, which is a great honor to work on the collection of over 13.000 pieces of Croatian modern and contemporary art, I lost the momentum of surrounding myself with young and up-and-coming artists, so Perceptions made me really happy. At the beginning of the project, I was the one sliding into inbox or Instagram DMs and explaining the concept. Now, people reach out to me and ask for coffee and collaboration possibilities. It is my favorite part of this job. Also, it is important to go to exhibition openings and network, there is a cultural event in Zagreb almost every day. This job is something you must love, as you are constantly involved in the news on the scene. When it comes to Perceptions, two years ago we were like ‘babies’, but now we have become like a little family – we went to graduations and welcomed a baby by one of our artists, there is a special bond now.
What is the position of female artists in Croatia? How come you dedicated this exhibition only to female artists?
Stephanie: Our initial concept was not based on gender, we did not intentionally create an exhibition of only female artists, it was very spontaneous (laughs). It just came naturally as we were discussing the artists who could be involved. When we created the concept, we asked our experienced colleague Mladen Lučić for feedback, and he commented that it sounded good but we needed to clarify why we only invited female artists. That was the first time we realised we created a ‘girl power’ exhibition, but even though it was unconscious at the time, we are really glad it turned out like this. Perceptions got another, important dimension for the concept itself. There are many female artists and art historians.
Marta: The beginning was very spontaneous and playful –it’s a female energy and synergy. When I visited the Academy of Arts, I noticed that there are more women than men, but that doesn’t have to mean anything. Historically speaking, women got their voting rights in the past century, which is quite recent. Then they got the right to attend the same university as men, but then for them, it was still banned to paint nude acts. Women in arts started to gain recognition in the past 100 years. Now, we are the same, and the ratios are leveled.
Are there enough tenders for museums, galleries, and artists on the national level?
Stephanie: In the past few years, there have been more tenders on a national level. When it comes to institutions, funding comes from the founder, it can be a state (Ministry of Culture), municipality, or local authority, so it depends on that. Regarding the Ministry, they expanded the tenders and allowed more creativity, so I think that is alright. Generally speaking, the culture sector is among the last when it comes to investments and projects development, however, the understanding of its importance can be made aware in the future by educating the younger generations. Investment at any level (including financial) will thus reflect the valorization and living of culture as something that enriches us all. On the other hand, young artists have a problem with funding as long as they are not visible and recognised by institutions and galleries. Until then, they have to fund themselves which is not easy as they have to pay all production costs to create their art pieces.
Marta: I think it’s an interesting moment when artists independently come together and organise themselves despite or for recognition of institutions. They find alternative spaces that are modern and authentic. Some avant-garde artists never wanted to be in a museum and institutions, but now they have become key factors in the history of art. I think the responsibility is also ours, when we are in a position as curators we can give opportunities to new artists, and we help each other mutually. We do tenders together and ask for pieces of advice. I think it would be great to set up the module at the Academy of Arts where students learn how to write artist statements and present their art, write tenders, and set up production costs of their works and exhibitions.
What do you recommend to young, up-and-coming artists, what is the best way to break through on the Croatian scene?
Stephanie: I think it’s very individual, it also depends on where the artist lives. I think it’s necessary to network during university and go to institutional and alternative galleries. Social media also plays a key role in the process as it allows artists to show their work from the early stages. Even though institutions sometimes have a more elitist approach, there are still people who develop projects with young artists, so I recommend everyone to reach out.
Marta: Some authors find themselves and form their expression earlier, and some later, so there is no right formula and timing that works for every artist. The most important thing is not to give up, be consistent, and surround yourself with quality people from the industry. When you stand behind and believe in what you do, people will see the quality and it will find its place on the scene.
Stephanie and Marta invited everyone to check out Perceptions at Forum Gallery until the 3rd of August, as this is their last exhibition in Croatia this year. In November, the ladies’ artwork moves to Belgrade’s Dom Omladine, and in the spring of next year, Perceptions can be found in Slovenia at the gallery Monfort in Portorož. Even though this project started as a collaboration of two close friends and curators, it turned out to be a great showcase of up-and-coming female artists from Croatia who defined their artistic style and are successfully sharing their realities through art.
