Zagreb art in Lisbon – Marija Braut and Slavka Pavić: Zagreb from another angle
Zagreb City Museum, guest appearance in Lisbon
Organisers: City of Zagreb, Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Portuguese Republic and Klovićevi dvori Gallery
Exhibition concept: Iva Prosoli
The exhibition was supported by: the Portuguese Ministry of Culture, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and the National Coach Museum
Marking the 40 years of friendship between the cities of Zagreb and Lisbon, the National Coach Museum opens two exhibitions presenting the works of photographers Marija Braut and Slavka Pavić, as well as the artistic expression of the world famous Croatian painter Vatroslav Kuliš.
Sharing the title Zagreb Art in Lisbon (Umjetnost Zagreba u Lisabonu), the two exhibitions can be visited from November 4th, in the Gallery of the 2nd floor (painting nucleus) and in the Garden Room of Belém (nucleus of photography) of the new National Coach Museum.
Various cultural events that take place within 40th anniversary of the friendship between Zagreb and Lisbon are the result of mutual cooperation between the two mayors, Milan Bandić and Fernando Medina. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding, on 11th July this year, a long-standing friendship has been confirmed, which further commits itself to strengthening the cultural and economic relations of the two capital cities in the future. A cultural and artistic exchange has begun with the successful performance of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra at this year's Lisbon festival Ao Largo. This successful cooperation is enhanced with the opening of two exhibitions from Zagreb under the joint name Zagreb Art in Lisbon (Umjetnost Zagreba u Lisabonu) at Museu Nacional dos Coches (National Coach Museum). It aims to present to the Lisbon public the history of Zagreb through the lens of photographers Marija Braut and Slavka Pavić, as well as the artistic expression of the world famous Croatian painter Vatroslav Kuliš. Through joint projects, Zagreb and Lisbon will introduce the tradition, culture and heritage of their twin city to their citizens, and connect the institutions of these two European capitals through tourism and economic opportunities.
Marija Braut (1929 – 2015) was one of the most active Croatian photographers. She started pursuing photography in the late 1960s. Since 1972, she worked as a freelance artist. She collaborated with numerous cultural institutions: museums, galleries and theaters. She exhibited on over one hundred solo and group exhibitions. Her photographs were regularly published in newspapers and specialized journals. Marija Braut's photographs are in holdings of the Zagreb City Museum, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Croatian State Archives, the Croatian Academy of Arts, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia all in Zagreb as well as in numerous other public and private collections.
Slavka Pavić moved to Zagreb in 1946 and devoted herself to photography. In 1951, she became a member of Fotoklub Zagreb and began to exhibit her works. She also collaborated with her husband, a prominent photographer Milan Pavić. She has held around 20 solo exhibitions and participated in over 300 group exhibitions at home and abroad, and in doing so won over 90 different awards and acknowledgments. She is one of the founders of the Women's Section of Fotoklub Zagreb, in 1973. Her works are in holdings of the Fotoklub Zagreb’s Collection of Croatian photography, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Zagreb City Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb and in various private collections.
Iva Prosoli
Slavka Pavić, En passant, 1951 Slavka Pavić, Boy, 1951
Marija Braut, The Octagon Gates at the Flower Market, c. 1980 Marija Braut, Bird-seller in Gornji grad, c. 1985