FOTO: Tomislav Čuveljak
Damir Fabijanić was born in Zagreb in 1955.
He holds a B.Sc. in mechanical engineering. He has been a keen photographer and has worked as a freelance photographer since 1987. In the early years of his work he specialized in architectural (construction, cultural heritage and contemporary architecture) and landscape photography. Later, he undertook numerous projects in all relevant fields of photography.
Since 1989 he has been photographing Dubrovnik and its surroundings, and it received his special attention during the time of the war (1991-92).
He has cooperated for many years with specialized institutions, national and foreign magazines, and he is the author of catalogues and monographs, of numerous solo, group and thematic exhibitions in Croatia and abroad (Europe, Latin America). He has received important professional awards for his work.
You can find more about the author in his Biography, and you can find a list of his works, exhibitions and publications under the list of Works.
INFO/ PRINTED MEDIA
A new edition of the book "Dubrovnik ..." by Damir Fabijanic at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb
The third, updated edition of the book “Dubrovnik …” was promoted in the atrium of the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb on 29th November 2018 in the presence of numerous audiences.
Book information: “Dubrovnik …” (3rd Edition, ISBN 978-953-59658-1-7)
Author of the concept and the photographs: Damir Fabijanić
Format: 24x24cm, hardcover
Content: 232 pages (147 color photos, 36 B&W photos, 2 geographic maps)
Texts: Camilo José Cela, Radovan Ivančević, Institute for Restoration of Dubrovnik, author
Languages: Croatian / English
Book Price: 45 €
The book publisher is a family publishing house “Ice&pice” (also known as the publisher of “Ice& pice” gourmet magazine, 3rd best gourmet magazine in the world, according to Gourmand Awards, Paris 2011).
EXHIBITIONS
Exhibition Haluddism (Haludovo Hotels 1987/2018)
Snapshots of a time gone by, taken in a time that never happened…
Unique photo pairs of the same motives from Haludovo (Malinska, island Krk) from 1987 to 2018 were presented at the exhibition at the Croatian Museum of Architecture in Zagreb. Damir Fabijanić took the photographs in the same technique (a 6x9cm negative color film camera) capturing identical views in a time lapse of 31 years, in which Haludovo hotel town was utterly destroyed and devastated.
TV EDITION
A television show about Damir Fabijanic from the Photography in Croatia series
The episode Damir Fabijanić, from Croatian Radio Television series “Photography in Croatia,” was broadcasted on 12.01. 2018 and shows the selection from the thirty years photographic opus of Damir Fabijanic accompanied with the text by Jasna Galjer.
A TV episode about Damir Fabijanic
AWARDS / EXHIBITIONS
The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Award for the visual arts 2016
Damir Fabijanić received the award of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts for the visual arts in 2016 for the exhibition Dubrovnik… held in Rueil Malmaison.
Dubrovnik..., project
EXHIBTUIONS
TheDubrovnik… exhibition held in Rueil Malmaison
The exhibition Dubrovnik… was held in 2016 in the Jacques Baumel Médiathèque in Rueil Malmaison, a sister city of Dubrovnik. The hosts’ desire of many years to stage this exhibition was made possible thanks to the efforts of Dubravka Zvrko, the French Embassy in Zagreb, the City of Rueil Malmaison and the City of Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik..., project
EXHIBITIONS
The Deliciously Croatia exhibition in Rome
This exhibition, bringing together Croatian eno-gastronomy and cultural heritage, was opened in the exhibition halls in the Domus Romana in Rome in June 2015.
Deliciously Croatia
Exhibitions
The Welcome Croatia exhibition on the occasion of Croatia’s accession to the EU
On the occasion of Croatia’s accession to the EU, the Directorate General Communication of the European Commission, with consent from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, asked Damir Fabijanić to select some of his photographs of Croatia for the Welcome Croatia exhibition. The exhibition was opened on 27 June 2013, in the presence of the President of the European Parliament, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and the author, at the Espace Léopold in Brussels, and one day later in the atrium of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Exhibition in Bruxelles
Exhibition in Strasbourgu
EXHIBITIONS / PRINTED MEDIA
The exhibition and book: In the Midst of Things
The In the Midst of Things exhibition, presenting the author’s conceptual work in 12 chapters, under the motto, “The author’s monologues on the lack of dialogue”, was held in the premises of the Glyptotheque (sculpture collection) of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in December 2012. The introduction to the book of the same name was written by Jasna Galjer. This is, according to the available information, the only book in the world with the cover pages placed in the middle of the book. The same exhibition, supplemented with materials on the author’s activities in Dubrovnik, was held in the Art Gallery in Dubrovnik in August 2014.
PRINTED MEDIA
Iće&piće magazine ranked the third best gourmet magazine in the world
In March 2012, Iće&Piće magazine was ranked the third best gourmet magazine in the world (the first place went to Lucky Peach / Momofuku restaurants/ and the second to Falstaff) in Paris (Gourmand Awards, Folies Bergère, Paris).
Iće&piće gourmet magazine
Exhibitions
Summing up the Gallery in Novigrad, Istria
The artist’s first entirely conceptual exhibition Summing up the Gallery, Rigo Gallery, Novigrad, 2010, demonstrated the artist’s dedication to small exhibition venues (4x4m) with a great tradition.
Life / Exhibition / Printed matter
LIFE* – All Inclusive
The photographer’s commissioned work with a social theme (2006), was completed as an exhibition in Glyptotheque of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Art, Zagreb, 2007, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the artist’s work as photographer, and the 10th anniversary of the Association for Promoting Inclusion which aids the inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities in everyday life.
LIFE* All Inclusive
Printed media
Damir Fabijanić launched Iće&piće magazine
In February 2007, after several years of preparation, the first edition of the wine and food magazine Iće&piće was published. I&P was the first gourmet magazine in Croatia designed according to the same rules and criteria as the world famous magazines of this type. With its original graphic design, photography and texts, and exquisite articles on international and national eno-gastronomy, it also reached prominence abroad.
Iće&piće gourmet magazine, covers
Iće&piće gourmet magazine, issues
EXHIBITIONS / PRINTED MEDIA
HAZU (Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts) in Photographs
In 2007 the HAZU in Photographs exhibition was staged and a book of the same name published for the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, on the basis of the idea of the artist D.F. presenting the entire structure of the Academy, with all its branches, locations, and most significant premises, and the artifacts in the Academy’s possession. The exhibition was later staged in many Croatian cities and also abroad.
Exhibitions / Printed media
The Summer Ends – Our Islands Begin Their Other Life
The concept of the book and the exhibitions with this title was envisaged during a stay on the island of St. Nicholas near Poreč, following an invitation from Riviera Holding (today Valamar) who invited photographers to take photographs over the course of one week on the island in 2005. The parallel presentation of motifs in color and black and white resulted in an original concept illustrating the story of the elegiac departure of summer from the islands.
The Summer Ends – Our Islands Begin Their Other Life
AWARDS / EXHIBITIONS
The Award from the Croatian Association of Architects for EXPO 2005, Aichi (Japan)
A group of artists (Damir Fabijanić, Dalibor Martinis, and Studio 3LHD) received the BERNARDO BERNARDI award from the Croatian Association of Architects, for their structural and interior design of the Croatian pavilion at EXPO 2005 Aichi, Japan.
EXHIBITIONS
EXPO 2005, Aichi (Japan) and the Circle in a Square exhibition
A group of artists (Damir Fabijanić, Dalibor Martinis, and Studio 3LHD) created the exceptionally successful design project for the Croatian pavilion at the World Exhibition in Japan. Over two weeks in Japan, staying in Nagoja, Kyoto and Tokyo, D.F. took photographs on medium size slides (6x6cm) and, for the first time, digitally, with a small amateur camera. The Circle in a Square exhibition was created from this material and was staged for the first time at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb in June 2005.
Japan
Exhibitions
The Brijuoni exhibition in Moscow
The Brijuoni (Brioni, Brijuni, and Brioni) exhibition was held for the first time as a solo exhibition in the premises of the old British Embassy in Moscow in 2005. Motifs from the era of Tito’s communism were presented at the exhibition, in contrast to the appearance of the infrastructure of the islands, a summer resort for the political elite, after 1990.
Brijuoni
EXHIBITIONS / PRINTED MEDIA
The exhibition and book: London from A to Z
In September 2003, D.F. stayed for 6 days in London (the stay was organized by the British Embassy in Zagreb). He photographed events during the First Festival of Design in London. He transferred the exceptionally large quantity of good quality photographic material (slides) into a book and exhibition (in 2004) with an original concept – the ideas and the pertaining illustrative photographs were listed in alphabetic order. This exhibition was staged in several Croatian cities and in Ljubljana.
London from A to Z
EXHIBITIONS
The Sea exhibition in Hannover and Lisbon
The Sea (More) exhibition was staged during EXPO 2000 in Hannover, in the premises of the Bauverwaltung (photographs of the surface of the Adriatic Sea). That same year it was also staged at the exceptional venue of the Monument to Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) in Lisbon.
The Sea, gallery
The Sea, project
Exhibitions
The Dubrovnik… exhibition in Buenos Aires
The Dubrovnik… Exhibition was held at the one of the most prominent exhibition venues in Latin America, the Centro cultural Recoleta, Buenos Aires, in 1999.
Dubrovnik..., projectPRINTED MEDIA
ORIS magazine launched
In spring 1999, after lengthy preparations, the first edition of ORIS, a magazine for architecture and culture, was published. It was the result of the original concept and organizational efforts of the publisher and editor-in-chief, Andrija Rusan, who designed the magazine together with a group of like-minded people and editors. Still today, it is part of the activities of Rusan’s ORIS, the House of Architecture. D.F. was actively involved as a full-time associate, chief photographer and editor of photography until 2008 (in particular for the first twenty issues).
Oris magazine, covers
INFO / EXHIBITIONS
Recipient of the Josip Račić Award for the visual arts
The Josip Račić award for the visual arts in 1999 (The Best Art Exhibition in 1998), Ten Years After, Museum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb), presented by the daily newspaper, VJESNIK, was awarded to a photographer for the first time.
EXHIBITIONS
The significant Ten Years Later exhibition
At this major exhibition of the Museum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb, 1998, the artist’s exceptionally numerous and significant works from the previous decade were presented in 10 sections – “War” (1) and “Peace” (9). Catalogue and poster design by Ante Rašić.
PRINTED MEDIA
Two major monographs on the Šibenik Region
The books Hometown Colors (with text by Joško Belamarić) about the Šibenik-Knin County, and Šibenik Cathedral (text by Radovan Ivančević) were published and presented by the Juraj Šižgorić City Library in Šibenik in 1998, upon the initiative and with the significant participation of its director Milivoj Zenić, after almost three years of work.
INFO/ PRINTED MEDIA
The book Dubrovnik… (second, supplemented edition)
The second edition of the book Dubrovnik…, FAB, Zagreb, 1997, was supplemented by photographs of the reconstruction of Dubrovnik’s architecture that had been damaged during the war – with pairs of pictures showing the demolished and reconstructed buildings.
Dubrovnik…, the Landscape
Dubrovnik…, the City
Dubrovnik…, the War
Dubrovnik..., project
INFO / EXHIBITIONS
The Grand Prix at the 31st Zagreb Salon
This was the first time that a photographer received the Grand Prix of the Zagreb Salon, Zagreb, 1996.
EXHIBITIONS/ PRINTED MEDIA
The important Pag Lace exhibition
He was the co-author of the concept and photographic and graphic material of the Pag Lace exhibition at the Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb, 1995, and it was later staged in many European cities.
Pag Lace, gallery Pag Lace, projectEXHIBITION
The first staging of exhibition The Fruits of Evil
The Fruits of Evil exhibition in Lisbon, 1995, was the first staging of the complete exhibition, presenting in the most neutral way examples of the intentional and systematic destruction of architectural and other cultural heritage (heritage cleansing) during the war in Croatia (1991-95).
The Fruits of Evil, gallery
The Fruits of Evil, project
EXHIBITION /PRINTED MEDIA
The Dubrovnik… exhibition selected as the exhibition of the week in Paris
The Dubrovnik… exhibition, held in Chapelle Saint-Louis de la Salpetriere, Paris, organized by the French Ministry of Culture, was proclaimed Exhibition of the Week in the city guide Pariscope (out of 59 newly opened exhibitions), and the book Dubrovnik… was listed among the most beautiful books of photographs in the world (28 books) by the independent panel of the Paris publisher, Marval
Dubrovnik…, the Landscape
Dubrovnik…, the City
Dubrovnik…, the War
Dubrovnik..., project
PRINTED MEDIA
Work for Croatia Airlines
In spring 1994 D.F. was hired as photographer and informal art director for the first inflight magazine of the national airline. As chief photographer and editor of photography (graphic designer: Ivana Ivanković) he successfully contributed to the magazine and all corporate printed material, with a well-developed and recognizable corporate identity, unprecedented in any other Croatian company from 1990 to the present day. This successful cooperation was abruptly terminated by the client in 2016.
CROATIA inflight magazine, covers
PRINTED MEDIA
The book Dubrovnik… (first edition)
On the occasion of the Dubrovnik… exhibition, a book with the same title was printed, and published by FAB, Zagreb (first edition,1993). The authors of the introductory texts were Camilo José Cela and Karl Lehman. The foreword was written by Radovan Ivančević.
Dubrovnik…, the Landscape
Dubrovnik…, the City
Dubrovnik…, the War
Dubrovnik..., project
EXHIBITIONS
The first complete Dubrovnik… exhibition
The Dubrovnik…, exhibition at the Edwin Scharff Haus, Neu Ulm, was the first complete version of the Dubrovnik… exhibition.
Dubrovnik..., project
EXHIBITIONS/ WAR
Appearance at the Arles Festival of Photography in the official competition
The Dubrovnik… Exhibition, at the Recontres internationales de la Photographies, Arles, July 1992, was the first and only appearance of a Croatian photographer to date in the official program of the most important world photography festival.
Dubrovnik..., project
EXHIBITIONS
Dubrovnik, the World’s Heritage, 23 January 1992, Madrid
The exhibition and book, entitled Dubrovnik, patrimonio de la humanidad (Dubrovnik, the World’s Heritage), 23 January 1992, Centro Cultural de la Villa, Madrid, was the first Croatian exhibition after the international recognition of Croatia. The foreword to the book was written by the winner of the Noble Prize for literature (1989), Camilo José Cela (1916-2002).
Dubrovnik..., project
THE WAR
The photographer’s dedication to the architectural heritage damaged during the war in Croatia
He photographed the architectural heritage destroyed during the war in Croatia (The Homeland War, 1991-95). Given the fact that two years before the war the author took photographs of Dubrovnik and its surroundings, the repeated photographing of the same motifs produced impressive pairs of photographs, illustrating the consequences of the war in the best possible way. Apart from Dubrovnik, he also photographed the areas of Zadar, Šibenik, Pakrac, Lipik and Lika…
Dubrovnik…, the War
The Fruits of Evil
EXHIBITIONS
The first exhibition on Dubrovnik
Thirty black and white photographs of Dubrovnik were exhibited on 17 May 1990 in the Sponza Palace, Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik…, the CityINFO/ EXHIBITIONS
Photographing the surroundings of Dubrovnik
He photographed the territory of the former Dubrovnik Republic (the landscape, architecture, customs and folklore) for the Rupe Ethnographic Museum in Dubrovnik (opened in 1990).
Dubrovnik…, the Landscape
INFO
Photographing for the Institute for Restoration of Dubrovnik
He was hired for his first job as a photographer in Dubrovnik (April 1989) to take photographs of reconstructed buildings, that had been damaged in the earthquake in 1979.
Dubrovnik…, the CityEXHIBITIONS
The Photographs exhibition
The Photographs, his first important solo exhibition (59 framed photographs) was opened in the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb in 1988.
INFO
The beginning of his professional career
He attained the status of freelance artist in 1987.
INFO
Photography as a hobby (and also a part time job)
- 1981. Graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Shipbuilding in Zagreb
- 1979. Visit to the major photographic event Venezia ’79/La Fotografia. Began friendship with Harvey Zucker, the owner of the first bookshop dedicated exclusively to photographic books, A Photographer’s Place, NY (1979-2001)
- 1975. He began taking his first ambitious photographs (as a passionate hobby, and, partially, a part-time job)
- 1974. His first solo exhibition of photographs, City Hall, Pag
- 1973. Received his first professional photographic equipment (Nikon F), a present from his parents
- 1973-1981. Subscribed to the Camera Magazine (Luzern)
INFO
Amateur period
Attended a course in basic photography 1968-1969.
INFO
Beginnings
Damir Fabijanić was born in 1955 in Zagreb.
Pag 1956.