Opening of the exhibition
On March 22 2016 at the Mission Gallery at the State Institute for Culture of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director of the Institute Mrs. Lyudmila Dimitrova opened the exhibition "Pictures and impressions of Croatia", presenting works of 25 artists and sculptors from the "Petar Smajic" Creative Union in Ernestinovo, Croatia.
The paintings and sculptures are inspired by the faces and spiritual light of people and hues in this part of Europe, which has a rich history and cultural heritage. The works were created during a creative workshop - called "a colony" - during which the artists created their paintings and artistic forms.
Ms. Ljerka Alajbeg, Ambassador of Croatia in Sofia, underlined the fact that the authors are not professional artists but amateurs who are passionate about art, which is the main objective of the creative union. Ernestinovo is a few kilometers from the city of Osijek, the birthplace of Bishop Josip Strossmayer - a prominent figure in Croatian history and who contributed significantly to the promotion of Bulgarian cultural identity before and after the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. In this exhibition, we can find traces of this spiritual connection between the two peoples, Ms. Alajbeg said.