Members of the Dubrovnik Association of Artists, as part of the 25th Festa Dubrovnik, opened an exhibition in honor of the city’s patron saint, once again demonstrating innovation
The 25th Festa Dubrovnik is taking place starting on January 26. Fine arts and socializing marked the second day of this traditional event. Namely, members of the Dubrovnik Association of Artists (DULU) opened their first exhibition of the year in the lobby of the Marin Držić Theater, “City of Stone and Light”, which is traditionally dedicated to Dubrovnik’s patron saint. This year’s exhibition featured: Andrea Vukoja Prce, Anto Violić, Dubravka Rathman, Ivan Dugandžić, Josip Škerlj, Karja Tolja, Luce Đuraš, Marijan Fragić, Mišo Baričević, Nedjeljka Nene Gligor, Robert Kralj, Valter Kožul and Vedran Grabovac.
Once again, the exhibition was organized in cooperation with the Festa Dubrovnik Association, the Croatian Heritage Foundation – Dubrovnik Branch Office, the City of Dubrovnik, the Marin Držić Theater, the House of Marin Držić and the Dubrovnik Art Gallery. On behalf of the Festa Dubrovnik Association, the participants were addressed by Darija Mikulandra Žanetić and Slobodan Nano Vlašić.
“It brings me great pleasure that we traditionally get together at our Festa Dubrovnik and that we have such a wonderful cooperation with the Dubrovnik Association of Artists, which is active throughout the year, not to mention the numerous awards. I congratulate you on your inspiration, your effort and your work. You truly are a wonderful association that has demonstrated and proven what it can do at the level of all of Croatia. We are also grateful that you always raise our spirits with such wonderful paintings and that all those who will come to us at the Festa and at Kandelora (candle mass) will be able to see this and enjoy those moments, as you experience this beautiful City and our patron saint,” said Mikulandra Žanetić.
The gathered guests were also greeted by Maja Mozara, head of the CHF’s Dubrovnik Branch.
“The Croatian Heritage Foundation always participates wholeheartedly and with dedication in all activities related to St. Blaise, and sends greetings from the City to the diaspora, as our emigrants are thrilled with anything coming from their homeland. And this exhibition is one of the ways for our Dubrovnik natives who are currently not in the City to connect with St. Blaise in spirit. I hope that they will feel at least a little bit of this togetherness between the City and the places where they live. We are really excited about this togetherness between the homeland and the Croatian diaspora, the City and Dubrovnik natives living abroad, and we hope that our Dubrovnik natives will transmit this spirit of St. Blaise, no matter how far away they are, to their children and grandchildren, and that St. Blaise will unite us,” said Maja Mozara. DULU President, Valter Kožul, invited those gathered to continue to follow the Association’s activities.
“Tonight, 13 of our members are presenting their different visions of the City, our patron saint or some combination. We will make an effort to be active again this year, as we were last year, when we had six exhibitions, and we were selected as the best association at the 41st Gathering of Fine Artists of the Croatian Cultural Association from among 32 organizations. Our work has been recognized, and we will attempt to do so again this year,” said Valter Kožul, thanking all the participants, hosts, organizers, DULU members, Robert Kralj and Marta Baće who set up the exhibition. Art historian Ivan Viden highlighted that the Dubrovnik Association of Artists really follows the City’s rhythm of life as well as the City’s calendar of events.
“A subject that has been in the focus so many times over the last 1054 years – and that is the figure of St. Blaise – this subject, with some new renditions, is in front of us here tonight on the canvases. I would even recommend to some of the authors who have come up with some very creative and innovative ‘artistic solutions‘ to continue exploring in the same vein. I’m sure that the members of the Association who prefer to paint in this manner shall continue to do so in the future,” pointed out Ivan Viđen to the participants.
The “City of Stone and Light” exhibition is open during theater hours until February 9, 2026.
Text: Bruno Lucić / Dubrovački vjesnik; Photo: Festa Dubrovnik
