izv. prof. art. Zlatan Vehabović

He was born on March 31, 1982 in Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina). In 2000, he graduated from the School of Applied Arts and Design in Zagreb. He continued his education at the Academy of Fine Arts, where he graduated in painting in 2006 in the class of Prof. Zlatko Keser. For his graduation thesis, he received a commendation of excellence from the Council of the Academy of Fine Arts. At the Academy of Fine Arts, he works as an assistant professor at the Department of Painting. Projects in which he has participated include working as a cultural ambassador of the European Commission with the aim of representing Croatia abroad during the process of Croatia's accession to the European Union (2013) and cooperation in the charity campaign 208 Against Mines (Peugeot Art Car, Peugeot and the Office for Mine Action of the Government of the Republic of Croatia with director Dijana Pleština, 2012). From 2004 to 2013, he worked as a leader of art workshops and educational programs for children at the Trešnjevka Cultural Center, Zagreb. In 2006, he was the leader of the art workshop "Street Art for the Culture of Change" of the Student Center in Zagreb, and in 2007 the leader of the workshop for children "Project Creativity and Technology" at the Maksimir Cultural Center, Zagreb. In 2016, he participated in the prestigious residency program The Arctic Circle. From 2006 until today, he has exhibited at about twenty solo exhibitions in Croatia and abroad and participated in over sixty group exhibitions in Croatia and abroad. Among his most important solo exhibitions is the exhibition Dark White Land, at the Art Pavilion in Zagreb in 2018. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work. His works are in domestic and foreign private and public collections (European Central Bank; Filip Trade / Lauba Collection – House for People and Art, Zagreb; Hypo Group Collection, Zagreb; Erste Bank Collection, Zagreb; Essl Museum, Klosterneuburg, Austria; Albertina Museum, Vienna; European Central Bank, Frankfurt; European Parliament Art Collection, Brussels, Belgium; Collection of the European Central Bank, Frankfurt, Germany). He is a member of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists and the Croatian Association of Freelance Artists. He lives and works in Zagreb.

His artistic oeuvre is the result of many years of research, continuous improvement and courageous experimentation with form and content. In his works, Vehabović successfully integrates elements of traditional painting with innovative approaches, creating works that are both authentic and current. The layered narration within each composition allows the viewer to interpret the story in multiple ways. Vehabović's work often deals with topics of universal values such as identity, memory, transience and the relationship between man and nature. He finds inspiration in everyday situations, but also in complex social phenomena, which makes his art a mirror of the contemporary age. His works problematize the meaning of aesthetics in contemporary art discourse, while equally encouraging deeper reflection on existential questions and challenges of modern society. A special value in his work is the ability to combine personal and collective experience. The introspective approach allows him to explore the inner worlds of the individual, while the narrative layering of his compositions creates space for dialogue between the artist and the observer. In this way, his works become a bridge between traditional values and contemporary ideals, offering viewers the opportunity to identify with universal themes that transcend the boundaries of time and space.

- "The School of Raging Thought", Marc Straus Gallery, New York – "Where the Poplars Meet The Plateau", Urania, Zagreb – "An Atlas of The Lesser World", DIT Gallery, Vienna – "Atlas of a Smaller World", National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb "Atlas of a Smaller World", Varaždin City Museum – "Atlas of a Smaller World", Virovitica City Museum – "Atlas of a Smaller World", Museum of Fine Arts, Split – "Selection of Atlas Paintings", Kula Gallery, Split – "9 Painters", Poola Gallery, Pula – "Into the Skies of Lead", MOMAD Art Gallery, Dubrovnik - "Dark White Earth", Marc Straus Gallery, New York – "Dark White Earth", Art Pavilion, Zagreb