Vlaho Bukovac Centenary

THiS yEAR SEES THE CEnTEnARy OF THE DEATH OF VLAHO BukOVAC, THE CAVTAT-BORn pAinTER WHO DEFinED CROATiAn pAinTinG AT THE START OF THE TWEnTiETH CEnTuRy.

Vlaho Bukovac, Portrait of Mary, 1921, oil on canvas Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik Archives

11.08 - 02.10. VLAHO BukOVAC

To celebrate the centenary of the death of a genius, the life and works of Vlaho Bukovac will get the appropriate spotlight in Dubrovnik’s Museum of Modern Art. Bukovac is widely created as the founder of modern Croatian painting, so expect plenty of influential works at the exhibition. This is all about bringing this icon to a new generation of fans, and the 80 pieces of work traverse his entire oeuvre, including his phases in Paris, Zagreb and Prague. Historical context is provided along the way. Without Bukovac, Croatian art would be a very different thing, so pay your respects at this super important exhibition. QL‑5, Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik, Put Frana Supila 23, tel. 8 Dubrovnik In Your Pocket (+385‑20) 42 65 90. Born in Cavtat in 1855, Bukovac was the most international of Croatia painters, forging a career in Paris and the UK, energizing the nascent art scene in Zagreb, and finishing up as professor at the Fine Art Academy in Prague.

The centenary is a big deal for the local community, and will be marked by a string of events organized by the Museums and Galleries, of Konavle (www.migk.hr), the umbrella organization responsible for the Bukovac House in Cavtat alongside other local historical attractions.

Throughout the year, a series of talks, film shows and discussions will be held at the Bukovac House. There will also be workshops for children, residencies for designers, concerts, and lectures in English for summer visitors. The role played by family background and home-town milieu in the artist’s inspiration and development will provide one of the key themes.

Bukovac’s relationship with Cavtat - and Cavtat’s relationship with Bukovac - will be explored further byVlaho Bukovac in the Collective Memory of Cavtat, a major exhibition that will take over the Bukovac House from April 2022 onwards. Before the end of the year, there will be another exhibition devoted to the restoration work carried out on Bukovac’s pictures by the Croatian Restoration Institute in Zagreb.

Bukovac’s birthday on July 4 will be marked by the publication of a lavish new book on the artist, written by one of Croatia’s leading art historians, Igor Zidić.

Throughout the year the Bukovac House will be forging ahead with plans to develop its virtual content, something you can explore for yourself by visiting the designated site at https://bukovac.migk.hr

Regardless of whether there’s a major anniversary going on, Bukovac remains a constant and treasured element of local heritage, and his house in Cavtat is the perfect place to get acquainted with his life and times. It’san intimate, domestic space that brings out the artist as an individual who had a long and adventurous life, as well as displaying a sumptuous collection of his paintings. dubrovnik.inyourpocket.com