Exhibition concept: Željko Kovačić, Nada Premerl
Exhibition design: Željko Kovačić
Poster design: Željko Kovačić
This exhibition, astutely entitled Works from the Past Century, for the first time comprehensively presents the varied and extensive work of architect Željko Kovačić. Many visitors and all those familiar with his work will undoubtedly ask: who is Željko Kovačić today? Is he an architect – designer, a designer of scenery, fashion, industrial products, museums or something still different?
He is a personality of exceptional sensibilities, imagination and reaction, curious to take on challenges, including those that are not his “speciality”.
In that sense, he is not a “designer with a task” (although he does have a task). He is an erudite who, in searching through his work and interests, eventually arrives at a uniquely personal expression.
This may best be illustrated by his design of the permanent collection exhibition on view at the Zagreb City Museum. This exhibition is proof of Kovačić’s creative reading of this historic building’s architectural ambience into which the museum material has been incorporated according to his ideas and creative vision.
His presence in the world of museum collection design has, in the past decade, been a breakthrough in understanding, interpretation and transmission of messages carried by museum material.
Željko Kovačić is not in search of a “style”. His “style” is to be versatile, imaginative, creative and recognised. His work is a free expression of spiritual symbols that are a creative path to individual interpretation.
No task has ever been inferior or undeserving of his attention. He takes on the design of utilitarian objects (chairs, bottles, ties…), aware perhaps that even the greatest classics of design happily worked on such assignments to satisfy, above all, the drive of their imagination.
On occasion, Željko Kovačić seemingly aims for more than is possible – he attempts to reconcile the conflicting, to link that which can not be linked, to find harmony where it is lacking… but he is always successful.
Vinko Ivić
Pictures from the exhibition
photo Miljenko Gregl, ZCM
Exhibition catalogue
Galjer, Jasna; Nada Premerl. Željko Kovačić : Works from the last century.
Zagreb : Zagreb City Museum, 2001
