“Ima li kakvih značajnih godišnjica?”

Held on what would have been his 130th birthday, the exhibition „Ima li kakvih značajnih godišnjica?” details the life and work of architect Svetozar Krotin based on the research done by Rea Terzin.

Tasked with the visual identity along with the exhibition setup, the challenge was to create a unique viewing experience with a vast amount of archival material. The exhibition followed the course of the architect’s life, with each wall representing a part of his life.

The main source of information that kicked off Rea’s research was a small, handwritten booklet she found while researching another archive in Sombor. The book details the architect’s life and was written by his close friend a few days before his funeral. The handwritten title „Ima li kakvih značajnih godišnjica?” (English: “Are there any special anniversaries?”) is the last thing that Svetozar Krotin said to his good friend before his untimely death.

From our first discussion about the exhibition, we knew we wanted it to be a mix of gathered material, original artworks inspired by the architect’s work and Rea’s already extensive collection of photographs depicting the numerous architectural pieces left by Svetozar.

To complete the idea and to broaden our perspective on Svetozar’s life, we invited illustrator Ena Borovac, who’s great grandmother was married to Svetozar, to create a set of illustrations and collages representing his architectural work.

Exhibition planning was done largely in Figma. We re-created the gallery walls and this helped us iterate and try new ideas much faster. It also provided an overview which helped with creating a cohesive narrative.

The visual identity was inspired by the research and the sheer amount of archival material that Rea gathered basically from scratch. We approached the design of the exhibition from a collage perspective, stacking images over images to invoke a feeling of curiosity and wonder. We really wanted to lean into the idea that there is always more to know and to uncover and that became the cornerstone for the design.

The final result exceeded expectations. A great number of people showed up and expressed interest in an architect who’s life was a mystery up until now. Being able to shine light on figures from the past that left a mark on our hometown and our lives was a special kind of honor.

Research and original photographs: Rea Terzin
Illustration: Ena Borovac
Exhibition photographs: Marija Mandić

2024.