Exhibition "Acquisitions/Donations 2020. 2025." of NMMU in Oktogon
On the occasion of its 120th anniversary, the National Museum of Modern Art in Zagreb presents the exhibition Acquisitions / Donations 2020 - 2025 - an impressive cross-section of contemporary practices that have become part of the museum's collection in the last five years. Set in the symbolic space of the Oktogon, the exhibition includes more than 40 artists whose works - thanks to acquisitions and donations - have been integrated into the NMMU's permanent exhibition.
This exhibition is not just a celebratory look back at the past, but also a strategic look towards the future. Curator Branka Hlevnjak emphasized that the selected works reflect current trends on the Croatian art scene and are the result of the thoughtful work of the Museum's Expert Council, which continuously evaluates the value of new artistic contributions.
The focus is on works by artists working within different media and poetics. Among the acquisitions are works by the following artists: Gordana Bakić, Neven Bilić, Mile Blažević, Emil Bobanović Ćolić, Vlaho Bukovac, Juan Ignacio Cabruja, Hamo Čavrk, Tomislav Čeranić, Braco Dimitrijević, Slavomir Drinković, Igor Eškinja, Joško Eterović, Bartol Galović, Marcela Gjoni, Želimir Janeš, Dan Oki (Slobodan Jokić), Josip Klarica, Alem Korkut, Kristian Kožul, Vatroslav Kuliš, Jure (Juraj) Labaš, Milena Lah, Dubravka Losić, Božica Dea Matasić, Damir Mataušić, Mia Matijević Akrap, Duje Medic, Kata Mijatović, Matko Mijić, Zdravko Milić, Zoltan Novak, Robert Pauletta, Pavle Pavlović, Izvor Pende, Renata Poljak, Ivan Posavec, Arsen Roje, Dalibor Stošić, Vilim Svečnjak, Robert Šimrak, Josip Tirić, Ksenija Turčić, Vinko Uhlik, Zlatan Vehabović, Miro Vuco, Loren Živković Kuljiš.
As the Museum points out, these works have become “a representative segment of Croatian contemporary art,” and many are the result of years of collaboration between artists and the institution. This confirms the importance of long-term investment in the local scene and its visibility within the national context, but also in the broader European framework.
It is interesting that some works were purchased through a competition by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, while others are the result of donations from the artists themselves or private collections - another proof of solidarity and togetherness within the artistic community.
The exhibition at the Oktogon offers an open, inclusive format that foregrounds the plurality of expressions, but also the responsibility of the institution to constantly question what it means to be a “museum of modern art” in the 21st century. At a time when museum policies are increasingly turning to participatory models and the representation of marginalized perspectives, NMMU clearly demonstrates with this exhibition that it is following and actively shaping these processes.
For anyone who wants to better understand current trends in Croatian contemporary art - but also to reflect on the role of museums as dynamic archives of cultural memory - Acquisitions / Donations 2020 - 2025 is an essential stop this summer.
📍 Oktogon, Zagreb
📆 Exhibition open until August 31, 2025.