The University Gallery in Split has become a meeting place for art lovers, art historians and numerous admirers of the work of the academic painter and graphic artist. Petar Jakelić. On the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the University of Split, the exhibition “The Drawing World of Petr Jakelić – Nulla dies sine linea” was officially opened on Tuesday, which for the first time systematically presented his rich drawing oeuvre as a separate artistic entity.
The opening attracted a large number of visitors who had the opportunity to get to know one of the most important, but so far lesser-known segments of the artist’s work, whose work characterized the Croatian art of the second half of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century.
After a large retrospective exhibition held two years ago, this exhibition focused on drawing, a medium that followed Petar Jakelić throughout his artistic life. The very title of the exhibition, “Nulla dies sine linea” or “Not a day without a line”, testifies to his dedication to everyday creation and the need to record the world around him with a line, a sketch and a drawing.
The special value of the exhibition was given by the fact that many works were presented to the public for the first time. Visitors can view the earliest drawings created while studying at the School of Applied Arts in Split, student works, studies and sketches, as well as works from different creative periods. Among the works on display were some of his latest creations, covering more than seven decades of artistic work.
The exhibition is set up on both floors of the University Gallery, giving visitors a comprehensive insight into the development of the artist’s handwriting. Through the hundreds of exhibited drawings, it is possible to follow how his expression changed and developed, but also to what extent drawing remained a permanent constant of his creativity.
Curator of the exhibition prof. Ph.D. Joško Belamarić he pointed out that for Jakelić, drawing represents much more than an artistic discipline. It is a way of thinking, a daily need and the most direct form of communication with one’s own inner world. It is for this reason that the exhibition does not only show works of art, but also the process of creation of ideas that shaped his entire oeuvre.
Visitors have the opportunity to see an extremely diverse selection of works – from early realistic studies and female nudes to fantastic and mythological scenes, self-portraits and drawings inspired by memories from his native Prugov. Each segment of the lineup reveals a new dimension of the artist’s personality and creative energy.
At the same time, the exhibition also announced a major publishing achievement that is being prepared – a monograph of Petr Jakelić’s drawings, the most extensive edition so far dedicated to this important segment of his work. This will give the valuable artistic heritage additional confirmation of its importance in Croatian cultural heritage.
The exhibition was opened by the rector of the University of Split, an academician Dragan Ljutićwhile curator Joško Belamarić presented it to the gathered visitors. Judging by the interest of the audience at the opening, it is one of the most significant cultural events this summer in Split, which once again confirmed the importance of preserving and presenting the works of great Croatian artists.
The exhibition can be viewed until July 17 in the University Gallery of the University of Split (Ruđera Boškovića 31).
