’Hotel Babylon’ Actress from Sibenik is featured in the Croatian press

Interviewed last issue, Croatian actress Danira Govic has since been interviewed and featured in the Croatian press recently in regard to her role in the currently screening in BBC One’s Hotel Babylon (Thursday’s, 9PM). She has featured in Slobodna Dalmacija, Globus, and Sibenski List.

But of course, Croats in London interviewed her first in our last issue!

Round - Up

A charitable concert, “Baroque for a Good Cause” , was organised by Aestas Musica on 20 January at St.George’s Church in Hanover Square.

Funds raised from the concert went to scholarships for young Croatian and European musicians who will travel to Varazdin in Croatia to attend the 11th International Summer School of Baroque Music and Dance ‘Astas Musica’.

The Croatian Students and Young Professionals Network (CSYPN) have been active on the social scene, organising an ice skating trip and even heading off to see a Czech science fiction film at the National Film Theatre. CSYPN are planning many other events for the rest of the year.

Noticeboard

Only events run by known and reputable bodies will be listed here.

23 to 29 March 2006: Searching for Blaise: Vlaho Bukovac (1855-1922) and his Northern Patrons, Bonhams Auctioneers, New Bond Street. Further info: 01423 556188

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An exhibition of Croatian artist Vlaho Bukovac’s works will be on display on at Bonhams Auctioneers in Bond Street between 23 - 29 March. This is excellent news for people in London who are in interested in Croatian art and culture.

Bukovac was born on 4 July 1855 in Cavtat, near Dubrovnik. After periods of time in the United States and in Peru as a letter drawer for a Peruvian coach company, he presented a painting to the Archbishop Strossmayer. With Strossmayer’s support he went to the Ecole des beaux Arts in Paris, after which he exhibited his works for 16 years in Paris.

For three years - 1881-1891 he spent some time in England, and then afterwards in Zagreb and Prague, where he died in 1922. He painted historical and religious pictures.
Two of his greatest patrons were British - Harrogate industrialist Samson Fox and Richard Ledoux of Liverpool. They commissioned family portraits from him and had collections of his paintings in their homes. Indeed, according to the Bonham’s website “Both Fox and Ledoux were seduced by the charm of Bukovac’s academic style, his naked maidens and his Biblical scenes.”

Much of Bukovac’s art has been lost. However, it is hoped the exhibition at Bonhams will perhaps result in some of his work coming to light.
Bonham’s say the show will include “over 15 paintings from both public and private collections, including portraits of Bukovac’s illustrious patrons, intimate portraits of his own family and studies of female figures.”