ZEN OPUZEN FESTIVAL

The Art Cultural Festival "Zen Opuzen" has been running for over 18 years in count and every year invites artists all over the world to participate for one weeks pleasure of art making. Opuzen is a small town in south Croatia where community of artists comes along to show their talent and bring life to grey façades or abandoned factories and houses. Gradually the small town transforms in an open-air gallery, which offers its content free of charge to citizens and visitors throughout the year. There are no limits in terms of artistic expressions and various forms of visual arts, graphics, sculptures, street performances, music performances and land art are used to transform unpleasant public space into a place of visual pleasure.

The Festival aims to create a dialogue between locals and the visitors from abroad, enabling exchange and inspiration on both sides. In discussions and film-screenings challenges of sustainable development, ecology and the community are addressed. A strong pillar is the work with children and teens: The youngest inhabitants of Opuzen and the Neretva-Valley are actively participating in the creation of the event and learn different artistic techniques in workshops and trough personal contact with the artists.. A particular focus is set on the “use of recycling materials”. Festivals focuses on reusing waste materials and inspire young people to care about natural resources.

During the festival, I participated as a muralist, thematically exploring and creating a work that emphasises the importance of our shared humanity and the space we must hold for empathy towards others, ourselves, and Mother Earth.The isolation many of us experienced during the pandemic revealed how deeply interconnected we truly are, even in moments of distance, regardless of race, nationality, gender, or disability.

This mural now remains on permanent display at the Zen Opuzen Street Gallery, serving as a reminder of unity, compassion, and our collective resilience.