Throughout 2020, well-known and acclaimed artists from Croatia and around the world will be making a variety of permanent art sculptures in towns and villages along the coast as part of the Lungomare Art project of the European Capital of Culture.
The Lungomare Art informative exhibition was opened today on the 4th floor of Tower Centre Rijeka for the 15 to 20 thousand daily visitors to the Tower Centre who will get to learn more about the eleven artists and ten locations where the permanent art sculptures were installed as part of the European Capital of Culture project.
The Head of the Lungomare Art flagship, Iva Kelentrić, pointed out at the press conference that this is a platform for the Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture project to carve a new path of sorts for culture, arts and tourism in Kvarner. The sculptures and interventions in space along the coast and on the islands are the work of local and international artists, who are not creating art for large museums or cultural centres this time, but are instead crafting their exceptionally valuable works in the small towns and villages from which they drew inspiration. Their art will remain here permanently and bring to life the areas in which they are placed in a special way.
Location and artists of the Lungomare Art programme of the Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture project
The artwork displayed as part of the Lungomare Art programme of the Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture project has a functional value – some of them will be transformed into resting areas, playgrounds and spaces for conversing and learning. You can choose any location as the starting point for exploring them. On the coast: in Brseč, Lovranska Draga, Volosko, at the Rijeka Fish Market and Grčevo beach in Rijeka, in Kostrena and Crikvenica. Or on the islands: in Lopar on Rab Island, above Baška on Krk Island or in Mali Lošinj. Each artwork connects heritage with the present to a certain extent and was created by renowned artists, designers and architects from Croatia, Europe, Japan and Chile: Liam Gillick (UK), Jiří Kovanda (CZ), Numen/For Use (DE/AT/HR), Harumi Yukutake (JP), Smiljan Radić (CL), Marcela Correa (CL), Sofie Thorsen (DK/AT), Davor Sanvincenti (HR), Pavel Mrkus (CZ), Igor Eškinja (HR), Ilona Németh (SK), Marián Ravasz (SK) and Nika Laginja (HR).
The Lungomare Art informative exhibition at Tower Centre Rijeka will be open for a month, until 11 October 2019.
RIJEKA 2020 and Tower Centre Rijeka sign partnership agreement
Today, RIJEKA 2020, the company tasked with the organisation of the European Capital of Culture programmes, signed a partnership agreement regarding the projects of two flagships, the travelling informative exhibition as part of the Lungomare Art flagship and the circus programme for children that will be held during the Tobogan Festival as part of the Children’s House flagship.
Maja Baković, Director of Tower Centre Rijeka, stated at the press conference that regarding 2020, a grand and important year for Rijeka as it becomes the European Capital of Culture, Tower Centre Rijeka is honoured to participate as a sponsor and partner in this story, which will convey and proudly showcase the values, culture, customs, tradition and beauty of our region to the entire world.
“From its foundation to the present day, Tower Centre Rijeka has striven to be an active and involved partner to the community by supporting projects in which we believe and whose values we genuinely share and live. It is with great pride and joy, as well as responsibility, that we can announce that a portion of the Rijeka 2020 programme will be held at Tower Centre Rijeka, which proves that, in addition to being the leading regional shopping centre, Tower Centre Rijeka is also an unmissable hub of the city’s social life”, Director Baković stressed.
“In general, the interest of patrons and sponsors in the European Capital of Culture project is understandable, seeing as how this project will put Rijeka on the map of cultural centres in Europe”, Emina Višnić, Director of Rijeka 2020, emphasised.
She also pointed out that Rijeka can expect an influx of foreign tourists and guests next year, which means that many industries in the city, including trade, will see a spike in traffic.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tower Centre for recognising the potential and offering its premises as a venue for hosting this travelling exhibition”, Director Višnić concluded.
The Mayor of Rijeka, Vojko Obersnel, also thanked Tower Centre Rijeka for recognising the importance of the European Capital of Culture project and becoming involved as a partner by allowing the European Capital of Culture to present the programme being prepared for 2020 in its premises, which are frequented by many residents of and visitors to Rijeka.
“During September and October of this year, we will utilise various means and channels to present an eventful cultural programme that will be held in Rijeka in the year when it holds the title of European Capital of Culture”, Mayor Obersnel reminded.
The heads of the Lungomare Art and Children’s House flagships, Iva Kelentrić and Jelena Milić also took the opportunity to express their gratitude to Tower Centre Rijeka for their immense support in making the Lungomare Art travelling exhibition a reality, as well as the three-day circus programme for children that will be held during the Tobogan children’s festival in the summer of 2020.
