On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 7:00 PM, an exhibition titled "Karlovac Artists from Dr. Boris Vrga's Collection" will open at the "Vjekoslav Karas" Gallery in Karlovac. The exhibition features a selection of paintings by Karlovac artists from the private collection of Dr. Boris Vrga, a pulmonologist from Petrinja.
Boris Vrga (born in 1953) is a member of the Croatian Writers' Society and the Croatian P.E.N. Center. He is a poet, the author of ten poetry collections, and twenty monographs dedicated to visual arts and cultural heritage in the region along the Kupa River. He has also organized around eighty art exhibitions featuring artists associated with the Kupa region.
His valuable collection of paintings, graphics, and a library suffered severe damage on two occasions: during the Croatian War of Independence after the fall of Petrinja on September 21, 1991, and during the earthquake on December 29, 2020. This exhibition provides an opportunity for the public to become acquainted with the works of artists who were born in or have biographical connections to Karlovac and its surroundings. These works were collected and preserved in Dr. Vrga's collection.
The exhibition presents a collector's perspective on Karlovac's artistic heritage and highlights the significance of individual prominent figures in Karlovac's art scene during the 20th century. It features the works of fifty-five male and seven female artists. Visitors will have the chance to see the exceptional talents of self-taught artists such as Boško Gagić, Nikola Dragarić, Franjo Koren, Franciska Baka Petelinšek, and Branko Vidović, who are already recognized as special contributors to the development of Karlovac's art scene. Additionally, the exhibition includes works by nationally significant and esteemed artists who lived, worked, and created in Karlovac or its vicinity, achieving remarkable milestones in their careers. These artists include Đuro Tiljak, Zlatko Šulentić, Marijan Detoni, Tomislav Krizman, Vladimir Varlaj, Slava Raškaj, Josip Vaništa, Ljubo Babić, Ljudevit Šestić, Miron Makanc, Alfred Krupa, Višnja Ercegović, Blaž Ćuk, Đorđe Petrović, Daniel Butala, Nikola Koydl, and Miroslav Šutej.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog in Croatian, consisting of 40 pages, which includes an introductory text by the collector and exhibition author, Boris Vrga. It also provides concise biographical information about the sixty-two artists whose works are displayed in the exhibition, along with photographs of all the exhibited pieces. The exhibition curator is Antonija Škrtić. The catalog, as well as other publications related to the exhibition, was visually designed by Saša Stubičar.
Within the gallery, there will be an educational program accompanying the exhibition, consisting of expert-guided tours with worksheets and materials for elementary and high school students, as well as workshops.
Interested parties for group school visits to the exhibition are encouraged to contact us via email at antonija.druzak@mgk.hr to arrange a suitable date.
The exhibition was realized with the support of the Karlovac City Museum, the City of Karlovac, and the Ministry of Culture and Media.
