Little Boy Attending Gričevanje

I started to write this post two weeks ago, but I never seem to find the time to finish it up. However, since it was already half written, I’ve decided to get back to it.

It so happens that it’s another sculpted post in a row, or how else should we call this set of articles about statues and their makers?  Not that I’m obsessed with any sculptures, but they do serve as tangible links to untold stories of Zagreb. 

And it also happened that Gricevanje festival organized a horror-story-contest. I applied with my interpretation of the boy sculpture from the photo and the spooky location he’s forced to call home. I thought it was a good idea, since the Park Grič, where the sculpture is placed, bears the very name that inspired the festival. It’s actually the name of the hill of the upper town Zagreb. Unfortunately, Gričevanje was unexpectedly displaced from Grič to Tuškanac. If I knew that before the competition ended, I’d have sent them another related story about local witches, who had literally been on fire only meters away from that spot in the past. 

It was initially planned for Gricevanje to be held, just like the year before, near the Gallery Klovicevi dvori, where currently there’s a Picasso exhibition. Reason enough for the authorities to make a last minute decision that festival could in some way endanger the Picassos. I wonder what would the avantgarde mind of the famous painter think about that call…

I understand the concern, but what should also be a priority to the city authorities, is an urban festival that brings to Zagrebers everything from demo bands to free concerts of the best Croatian bands like Urban&4 or Bambi Molesters. And much more.. For example, this year Gricevanje tried to spice the program up with some novelties, including this literary competition. The jury selected two stories – Jedač svjetlosti / Eater of Light by Nevenka Pupek and my Djecak / Boy – to be read by actors. Nevenka is truly into writing, she’s a poet and a painter who has already won several literary awards and got published in quite a few collections. It was real pleasure to meet her and get a chance to read her works later on. You can download her digital book here.

Thank you, Gricevanje, for having added my story to your programme. Even though it’s not a real story. It’s a convienient little intro to an announcement I have to make – I’m finally starting actual Zagreb walking tours this June. Lack of time for wrapping this post up (and for completing a wonderful interview with a photo artist that should finally be posted next week) is a result of my boosted preparations for the Secret Zagreb Walks. I’ve intensified the final processing of the (hi)stories that will be included in my upcoming walking tours around Zagreb. One of the spacial links to my storytelling will be the little boy sculpture from Park Gric. 

Hope you’ll come along to hear it…