CV

BIOGRAPHY

The artistic practice of Zlatko Kopljar (b. 1962, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina) is driven by a relentless questioning of the role of the artist in contemporary society. His work moreover draws on collective and personal memory of the traumatic events of the Twentieth century and probes their lingering aftermath.

Since his graduation in 1991 from the Department of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, Kopljar has forged a consistent practice that is multidisciplinary in form, working alternately in sculpture, architectural intervention, performance, photography, video and experimental cinema, in which the indices of communication are often scrambled or diverted. Kopljar’s artistic practice is imbued with a societal and institutional critique that is open-ended: it presents complexities rather than indictments or solutions.

Through a reduction of means, and an innate sense of stillness, ritual and progression, Kopljar sets about transforming personal themes into universal metaphors. The figure of the man in the reflective suit, the protagonist of Kopljar’s video works, offers a persona we can relate to, like a lightning rod for human aspiration. In recent work, scale models of objects provide viewers with surfaces onto which they can alternately project their own associations, admiration or discomforts.

Zlatko Kopljar represented Croatia at the São Paulo Biennial in 2004 and has had solo exhibitions in Croatia and abroad, including Zagreb, Ljubljana,  Graz, Venice, Berlin, Cologne and Antwerp, among others. Recent group shows include Sanguine: Luc Tuymans on Baroque, Fondazione Prada, Milan; Fight love hope, Kunsthaus Graz; Luc Tuymans, A Vision of Central Europe – The Reality of The Lowest Rank, Bruges. His works are included in significant private and museum collections. Zlatko Kopljar lives and works in Zagreb, Croatia.

EDUCATION AND RESIDENCIES

2003 Franklin Furnace New York, USA

1986 – 1991 Academy of Fine Arts, Venice, Department of Painting, Italy

AWARDS AND HONORS

2021 The Vladimir Nazor Award

2011 Annual Award, Stiftung Bibel und Kultur, Stuttgart, Germany

COLLECTIONS

Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia

Museum Contemporary Art, Novi Sad, Serbia

Minoriten Galerie Collection, Graz, Austria

Filip Trade Collection, Zagreb, Croatia

Gallery of Fine Arts, Split, Croatia

Gallery Ružić , Slavonski Brod, Croatia

SOLO SHOWS

2021

Setup of the K19, Vatroslav Jagić park, Varaždin

Zlatko Kopljar – Tenebroso, Museum of Modrn Art Varaždin, Croatia. Curated by Branko Franceschi

2019

Constructions, Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, HR, Curated by Leila Topić

2018

Empty, CASSTL,  Antwerp, Belgium, Curated by CASSTL

2017

K21 Random Empty, Gallery Oris, Zagreb, Croatia

Empty, Museum of Contemporary Art of Istria, Pula, Croatia, Curated by Mladen Lučić

2015

K20 Empty, Gallery Island, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Curated by Slaven Tolj

K20 Empty, Gallery Greta, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by David Lušić

K20 Empty, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, Curated by Slaven Tolj

K16, Stadslimiet, Antwerp, Belgium, Curated by Vast Colson and Dennis Tyfus

2014

From K series, Isabella Czarnowska Gallery, Berlin, Germany, Curated by Isabella Czarnowska

K16, K17, K18, Art cinema Croatia, Rijeka, Croatia, Curated by Slaven Tolj

K19, Croatian Association of Artists, Zagreb, Croatia

2013

K9 Compassion, Kunststation Sankt Peter, Cologne, Germany

K14, K15, K16, K17, Artists’ Cinema, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Branka Benčić

2012

Nuovi lavori, K15, K16, K17, Suzy Shammah Gallery, Milano, Italy, Curated by Suzy Shammah

Noue Arbaiten, K15, K16, K17, Isabella Czarnowsky Gallery, Berlin, Germany, Curated by Isabella Czarnowska

2011

From K series, Galerija Vinko Perčić, Subotica, Serbia, Curated by Spartak Dulić

2010

Light Tower, Oratorio di San Lodovico, Venice, Italy, Curated by Vittorio Urbani, The show “K13” by Zlatko Kopljar is produced by Associazione Culturale Nuova Icona in collaboration with Associazione E:,Venezia. With collaboration of Susanna Fabris.

From K series, K, Museum of Contemporary Art, Novi Sad, Serbia, Curated by Živko Grozdanić

Light Tower, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Tihomir Milovac

2009

Light Tower, Minoritengalerie, Steirische Herbst, Graz, Austria, Curated Johannes Rauchenberger

From K series, MMC Luka, Pula, Croatia, Curated by Branka Benčić

2008

K9 Compassion, Marilia Razuk Gallery, São Paulo, Brasil, Curated by Marilia Razuk

2007

K12, Glyptotheque, Croatian Academy Of Sciences And Arts, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Arijana Kralj

From K series, Gallery Waldinger, Osijek, Croatia, Curated by Ivan Faktor and Ana Marija Koljanin

2006

K9 Compassion, Gallery Gheto, Split, Croatia, Curated by Želkjko Jerman

K11, Glyptotheque, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Arijana Kralj

2005

K9 Compassion, K9 Compassion+, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, Curated by Branko Franceschi

K9 Compassion, K9 Compassion+, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Tihomir Milovac

2004

K10, Gallery Island, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Curated by Antun Maračić

K10, Glyptotheque, Croatian Academy Of Sciences And Arts, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Arijana Kralj

2002

K8, Gallery Miroslav Kraljević, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Branko Franceschi

K8, Art Gallery, Slavonski Brod, Croatia, Curated by Ivan Šeremet

2001

K5, Gallery Lazareti Dubrovnik, Croatia, Curated by Slaven Tolj

K5, performance in public space, Svetvinčenat, Croatia

K7, MM Center, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Ivan Pajić

2000

K3, MM Center, Rijeka, Croatia, Curated by Branko Franceschi

1999

K5, Art Museum, Slavonski Brod, Croatia

K5, Technical Museum, Zagreb, Croatia

1998

K3, Gallery Miroslav Kraljević, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Branko Franceschi

K2, Gallery Gallery Kapelica, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Curated by Jurij Krpan

1997

Shame, Gallery Kapelica, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Curated by Jurij Krpan

K2, Gallery Po Bota, Split, Croatia, Curated by Božo Majstorović

K2, Gallery 761, Ostrava, Czech Republic, Curated by Stanislav Cigoš

1996

Dove sarrei arrivato se fossi stato inelligente? Ubi ego?, Gallery Metelkova, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Love shot, open space / Sljeme, Zagreb, Croatia

Shame, Gallery Karas, Zagreb, Croatia

1995

Vjerujem, Gallery Miroslav Kraljević, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Branko Franceschi

Mastodont, Gallery PM, Zagreb, Croatia

Vinculum, Gallery Karas, Zagreb, Croatia

1994

Dove sarrei arrivato se fossi stato inelligente? Ubi ego?, Gallery PM, Zagreb, Croatia

Dangerous spaces, Gallery Island, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Curated by Slaven Tolj

1993

Dangerous spaces, Glyptotheque, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Zagreb, Croatia

1992

Sacrifice, Gallery CEKAO, Zagreb, Croatia, Curated by Damir Grubić

1990

Iron heart, Gallery SC, Beograd, Serbia, Curated by Biljana Tomić

Gallery Becić, Slavonski Brod, Croatia

GROUP SHOWS

2023

Ivan Šeremet/Zlatko Kopljar, Gallery Ružič, Slavonski Brod, Croatia, text: Željko Marciuš, Branko Franceschi.

Kud plovi ovaj oblak? – izložba iz zbirke MMSU, Rijeka, Croatia. 14.6.–25 curated by Ksenija Orelj, Sabina Salamon and Ljiljana Kolešnik

ALMISSA OPEN ART 2023, 8.-12.08. 2023. Omiš Croatia, curated by Ivan Mesek.

2022

Mercy, Luc Tuymans and Zlatko Kopljar, Galerija Vartai, Vilnius, Lithuania, curated by Ory Dessau.

2020

Realize!Resist!React!, Performance and Politics in the 1990s in Post-Yugoslav Context, Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova(+MSUM) Slovenia, curator Bojana Piškur, guest curators Linda Gusija, Jasna Jakšić, Vida Knežević, Nita Luci, Asja Mandić, Biljana Tanurovska-Kjulakovski, Ivana Vaseva, Rok Vevar, Jasminka Založnik.

Gebt mir Bilder, Deiozese Innsbruck, Austria, curated by Bischof Hermann Gletter

2019

ART / WAR / TRANSITION (1990 – 1991 – 2000 – 2010 – 2020 – 2021), MMSU Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Slaven Tolj

Who Summoned the Silence?, MMSU Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Slaven Tolj

Do secret services dream of a museum?, 5th project Biennale of Contemporary Art D-0 ARK underground, Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, curated by Basak Senova, Branko Franceschi and Jonatan Habib Engqvist

Vertraut und Fremd. Vulgata. 77 Zugriffe auf die Bibel im Dommuseum Mainz, Sonderausstellung in Kooperation mit der Stiftung Bibel und Kultur Und Kultum Graz, Austria, Mainz, Germany, curated by Johannes Rauchenberger

Despite the Environment, Croatian Association of Artists, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

2018

Sanguine: Luc Tuymans on Baroque, Fondazione Prada Milano, Italy, curated by Luc Tuymans

Six memos, Hall of Las Francesas, Valladolid, Spain, curated by Branka Benčić

Faith Love Hope, Kunsthaus Graz, Austria, curated by Katrin Bucher Trantow, Johannes Rauchenberger and Barbara Steiner, co-curated by Heimo Kaindl and Alois Kölbl

Together with KULTUM – the Minorites’ Cultural Center, in cooperation with Alte Galerie, Folk Life Museum and Diocesan Museum Graz, Austria

2017

Architecture in Contemporary Art, GALUM Split, Croatia, curated by Jasminka Babić and Branko Franceschi.

D(r)ugo sjećanje [en. Second remembrance], Gallery HDD, Zagreb, Croatia; The Center for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD) Beograd, Serbia, curated by Barbara Blasin, Aneta Lalić

Vulgata. 77 Zugriffe auf die Bibel, Minorites’ Cultural Center, Graz, Austria, curated by Johannes Rauchenberger

2016

(In)constancy of Space – Struggle for Identity, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, Netherlands, curated by Neva Lukić and Vanja Babić

Industrial Art Biennale, Labin, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi and Lucrezia de Dominizio
The Society of the Spectacle, Croatian Association of Artists, Barrel Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Josip Zanki and Gintautas Mažeikis

2015

Signal Over the City, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Sabina Salomon

Out of Time and Space, International exhibition of video art, Gallery of Fine Arts Split, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

Moving image Art fair New York, New York, CEC Artslink, New York, USA

14th days of performance Varaždin, Varaždin and Museum of Contemporary Art of Istria, Pula, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

Within the Giant’s Belly, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Ksenija Orelj

2014

Notes on Undoing, Gallery Garis & Hahn, New York, USA, curated by Branka Benčić

Industrial Art Biennale, Labin, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

Lovely days, Bol, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

54th Annale of Poreč, Poreč, Croatia, curated by Branka Benčić

2013

Alternative film/video festival, Beograd, Serbia, curated by Branka Benčić

Rohkunstbau XIX, Berlin, Germany, curated by Mark Gisbourne

UNI-JA/UNI-ON, Lublin, Poland, curated by Anda Rottenberg

2012

Croatie la Voici – Festival de la Croatie en France, Le Générateur, Paris, France, performing arts section curated by Mehdi Brit

Instants Video Festival, Marseille, France, curated by Branka Benčić

Abstraction, Modernism and Contemporary Time, Klovićevi dvori, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Ana Medić and Ivana Mance

Mitleid Compassion, Minoritengalerie, Steirische Herbst, Graz, Austria, curated by Johannes Rauchenberger

2011

T-HT Award, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia

Public matters!,- Publika je pomembna! Gallery of Contemporary Art, Celje, Slovenia, curated by Branko Franceschi

2010

Luc Tuymans, A Vision of Central Europe – The Reality of The Lowest Rank, Bruges, Belgium, curated by Luc Tuymans and Tommy Simoens

A Pair of Left Shoes, Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Tihomir Milovac

2009

Temple, Croatian Association of Artists, Zagreb, Croatia, Ring Gallery, curated by Branko Franceschi and Mark Gisbourne

Political Speech is Suprematism, Croatian Association of Artists, Slought Foundation, Philadelphia, USA, curated by Branko Franceschi

Art and terrorism, Bosnian Herzegovinaian artwork post 9/11, City Gallery Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina, curated by Irfan Hošić

A Pair of Left Shoes, Kunstmuseum Bochum, Germany, curated by Tihomir Milovac

International festival of live art, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Zotti&Allievi, Magazzini del Sale, Venice, Italy, curated by Branko Franceschi

2008

Tvrđava@rt – communications, Gallery Ružić, Slavonski Brod, Croatia, curated by Ivan Šeremet

What about Power Relations? Gallery Škuc, Ljubljana, Slovenia, curated by Martina Vovk, Alenka Gregorič, Tevž Logar, Mara Vujić, Vanja Žanko and Mihaela Richter

Zotti i njegova klasa, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

Bad Joke, Riga Art Space, Riga, Latvia, curated by Johannes Saar

Conceptual Art, Croatian Association of Artists, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Miško Šuvaković

Obscurium per obscurius, Art Hall Tallinn, Estonia, curated by Ilja Sundelevit and Reet Varblane

Paso Doble, Multimedia Culture Center Split, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

BUK, Gallery Miroslav Kraljević, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Kata Mijatović and Zoran Pavelić

2007

Bad Joke, Center for Contemporary Art, Tallinn, Estonia, curated by Johannes Saar

B5 studio, Târgu Mureș, Romania, curated by Branko Franceschi

Gestures of Infinity, Graz, Austria, Curated by Johannes Rauchenberger

Nature and Society – Parallel Lines, Museum Rupe, Dubrovnik, Croatia, curated by Robin Mason and Silva Kalčić

Croatian contemporary art, Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, India, curated by Jerica Ziherl

Suffest, Križevci, Croatia, curated by Saša Živković

MAP LIVE, Carlisle, United Kingdom

42nd Zagreb salon, Zagreb, Croatia

2006

20th Slavonian bienniale, Muzej likovnih umjetnosti Osijek, Croatia

Balkan TV, Shiftung BINZ39, Zurich, Switzerland, curated by Željka Marušić and Andreas Helbling

41st Zagreb salon of Architecture, Zagreb, Croatia

Body. City. – within a Croatian perspective, Gallery MC, New York, USA, curated by Branko Franceschi

Insert, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Tihomir Milovac

2005

Beyond seven seas and seven hills, Art Pavilion, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Tihomir Milovac

Landscape in Contemporary Croatian Art, Split, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

Insert, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Tihomir Milovac

5th Performance days, Varaždin, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

2004

26th bienal de São Paulo, A Bienal come territorio livre, São Paulo, Brazil, curated by Alfons Hug, Croatian Pavilion curated by Branko Franceschi

Co-Habitation, Gallery Tactile Bosh, Cardiff, United Kingdom, curated by Kim Felding

2003

K9, The Kitchen, New York, USA

2002

Here Tomorrow, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Roxana Marcoci

Coed Hills Rural Artspace, Cardiff, United Kingdom, curated by Rowley Clay

Prima, Split, Croatia, curated by Tamara Visković

Minute of silence, Gallery Miroslav Kraljević, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Janka Vukmir

2001

Eternal Quest for Home, Poznan, Poland, curated by Kenny McBride

2000

Flick Project LA-Croatia, Los Angeles, USA, curated by Slaven Tolj

Borders-Granice, Slavonski Brod, Croatia, curated by Ivan Šeremet

Ambience 90., Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia, curated by Branko Franceschi

Ambience 90., Collegium artisticum Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, curated by Branko Franceschi

1999

Zadar snova – International Festival of Contemporary Theater, Zadar, Croatia

1998

Book and society – 22%, SCCA Zagreb, Croatia

Gallery Manes, Praha, Czech Republic, K3

1997

Public body, Performance festival, SCCA Zagreb, Croatia

Malamut, Performance festival, Ostrava, Czech Republic, curated by Stanislav Cigos

1996

Island, Dubrovnik, SCCA Zagreb, Croatia

1995

Croatian photography, Art Pavilion, Croatian Photo Association, Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb salon, Klovićevi dvori, Zagreb, Croatia

Biennale of Young Artists, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia

1994

34th Annale of Poreč, Poreč, Croatia, curated by Zvonko Maković

1993

Zagreb-Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia

11th International Biennial of Small Sculpture, Murska Sobota, Slovenia, curated by Želimir Koščević

1st International Biennial of Graphic, Maastricht, Netherlands, curated by Želimir Koščević

New Croatian Art, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by Igor Zidić

1992

Zagreb salon, Klovićevi dvori, Zagreb, Croatia

Ego East, Croatian Art Now, Zagreb, Croatia, curated by the group EgoEast