34TH PASSION HERITAGE FESTIVITIES / SACRAL HERITAGE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF WORKS OF ART, ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS IN ZAGREB
With this exhibition, we celebrate our enduring commitment to the preservation of Croatia's spiritual and artistic legacy, especially the Passion of Christ, the Passion – a motif that is deeply woven into the cultural identity of Croatia, from the oldest medieval crucifix in Croatia from the Treasury of the Monastery of St. Francis in Zadar, to "Following the Cross", the Hvar procession on Holy Thursday inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage List. Likewise, ... Read More
FROM THE PREFACE OF THE EXHIBITION
With this exhibition, we celebrate our ongoing commitment to the preservation of Croatia's spiritual and artistic legacy, especially the Passion of Christ, the Passion – a motif that is deeply woven into the cultural identity of Croatia, from the oldest medieval crucifix in Croatia from the Treasury of the Monastery of St. Francis in Zadar, to "Following the Cross", the procession of Hvar on Holy Thursday inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage List. Likewise, for more than 25 years, the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb (founded in 1997) has woven sacral heritage into the very fabric of its mission.
The exhibition before you showcases the talent and dedication of OKIRU-ALU students and faculty as they engage with one of the deepest spiritual themes—the Passion of Christ. Through collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Media, conservation departments, and museums, our students have restored numerous cultural treasures: polychrome wooden sculptures that tremble with piety, faded wall paintings that whisper medieval prayers, architectural stone works carved through centuries of faith, and countless easel paintings that bring sacred representations to life with brilliant contrasts of light and shadow. All of our students' conservation and restoration work, rooted in rigorous scientific practice and artistic sensitivity, breathe new life into sacred cultural heritage objects while respecting their historical integrity.
The exhibition highlights a decade of work by OKIRU teachers and students, displaying poster presentations detailing the technical and ethical challenges in preserving works of art of sacred art. There are also artistic copies and interpretations: student creations inspired by the originals, bridging historical techniques with a contemporary vision. Educational journeys: from fieldwork in Croatian churches to the research of materials and the process of their degradation, witness how sacral heritage shapes both pedagogy and practice. Whether through the analysis of pigments on Baroque sculptures of saints or through artistic reinterpretations of sacral themes, the work of the Department illuminates the dialogue between past and present, science and soul.
Join us in exploring how preservation becomes an act of respect, ensuring that Croatia's Passion heritage survives for generations to come.
Assoc. Prof. Prof. Dr. Sc. Domagoj Šatović, Head of OKIRU
Exhibition editorial team: prof. mr. art. Tamara Ukrainčik, associate professor prof. art. Barbara Horvat Kavazović, umj. sur. Maja Sučević Miklin, umj. sur. Zvonimira Obad and associate professor prof. dr. sc. Domagoj Šatović, head of OKIRU
Technical support: Krešimir Budiselić
The exhibition was realized with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the City Office for Culture and Civil Society of the City of Zagreb.