Traces of Disappearing (In Three Acts)
2006-2019
photographic essays
Presented on the occasion of Croatian Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennial, 2019, curated by Katerina Gregos.
Traces of Disappearing (In Three Acts), 2006-2019, sits firmly in the humanist dimension of documentary photography, bridging poetics, politics, and social reality. It consists of three inter-related photo essays and an animated new short film. The work examines the post-war, transitional reality in Croatia, particularly the shift from socialism to capitalism, and how this has affected changes in habitation, the urban fabric, and public space. Wild House, the first chapter or ’Act’ examines changes in homes and living while the advent of privatization of property; Filigree Sidewalk (Act II) looks into traditional vocations such as local handcrafts, highlighting which professions survive and which do not in the new circumstances. Finally, Deconstruction of the Factory (Act III) presents a series of defunct factories, monumental reminders of the transition from industry to post-industry. The latter also becomes the setting for Grubić’s short film, How Steel was Tempered, which weaves together issues of worker history, family bonds, and generational shifts, suggesting also the importance of fruitful future relationships based on solidarity, shared social space, and creative, collaborative working.
ACT I – Wild House
ACT II – Filigree Sidewalk
ACT III – Deconstruction of the Factory