The exhibition of works by the Dubrovnik artist Romana Milutin Fabris, entitled Dubrovnik Rhapsody was opened last night, 1 August in the crowd-filled Sponza Palace atrium as part of the 74th Dubrovnik Summer Festival. The Montenegrin diplomat and professor Antun Sbutega, art critic and exhibition text author Andrija Seifried and the Festival’s Artistic Director Dora Ruždjak Podolski spoke at the opening.
– Closely following the Dubrovnik Summer Festival for years, from the fifties until today, Romana Milutin Fabris has written an entire story about the actors she hung out with and about the pieces that were performed at the Festival, so these paintings are not just for viewing and decoration, but a note about a certain time of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival – said Andrija Seifried about the exhibition.
The works of Milutin Fabris are dedicated to Dubrovnik, a painting motif that marked her entire career, and through Dubrovnik Rhapsody the painter tirelessly continues her artistic dialogue with the City, not only through her distinctive expression, but also with the impetus from new, crystal-clear creative challenges.
– We are honoured to be able to produce this exhibition because it talks about the memory of the City and the memory of the Festival, and the memory of their great people, many of whom are unfortunately not among us anymore, truly ennobles us. Sometimes memory is the only thing left, but tonight let's enjoy creation and life – concluded the Festival Artistic Director Dora Ruždjak Podolski, declaring the exhibition open.
Contemporary Croatian artist Romana Milutin Fabris was born in 1941 in Dubrovnik. She graduated from the School of Applied Arts in Split and Zagreb under professors Kaštelančić, Tolić and Zuppa, and attended the Academy of Applied Arts in Belgrade. She graduated in Fine Arts from the Internationale Sommerakademia für bildende Knust in Salzburg, where she worked in Oskar Kokoschka’s workshop. Since 1962, when she had her first solo exhibition (Sponza Palace), she has held over a hundred solo exhibitions in her homeland and abroad, also participating in prestigious group exhibitions. In addition to painting, she is equally successful in tapestry, and her works can be found in numerous museums, galleries, private collections, and public spaces around the world. One of the artist's favourite works of art in public spaces is the large tapestry in the Gradska Kavan cafe, and her painting which she did for Pope John Paul II, exhibited in the Vatican museum. Today she lives and creates her artworks in Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik Rhapsody can be viewed every day until 13 August, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Sponza Palace atrium.