Commemoration of Anti-Fascist Struggle Day

On June 21st, to announce the 14th Festival of Miroslav Krleža, my poster and billboard designs were displayed throughout Zagreb, Croatia.

 

Miroslav Krleža (1893-1981) was a Croatian writer who is widely considered to be the greatest Croatian writer of the 20th century. I created his portrait with his very characteristic hat, and because one of his most famous novels is titled Zastave (The Flags), I made his profile out of all incarnations of Croatian flags during his lifetime. 

 

The appearance of posters and billboards coincided with Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (Croatian: Dan antifašističke borbe), which is a public holiday in Croatia. It is observed on June 22nd to commemorate the formation of the First Sisak Partisan Detachment, a Communist-led guerrilla unit during World War II in Yugoslavia on June 22nd, 1941, and in general the uprising of the anti-fascist Croatian wing of the Yugoslav Partisans against the forces of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and their puppet state―Independent State of Croatia.

 

Unfortunately, to "commemorate" that day, someone vandalized one of the billboards—ripping it, scratching off Krleža's name and the red stars, and carving a swastika next to one of them. Thanks to the swift response of the organizers from Teatar poezije Zagreb, the billboard was replaced the following day.

 

A similar incident with the billboard occurred during last year's festival, though without the swastika.

 

 

 

My Design for the "14th Festival of Miroslav Krleža"

These days the city of Zagreb, Croatia is displaying my poster and billboard design, announcing the 14th Festival of Miroslav Krleža.

The festival is organized by Goran Matovic and Teatar poezije Zagreb. 

Miroslav Krleža (1893-1981) is the most celebrated Croatian writer. I created his profile wearing his very characteristic hat. Because one of his most famous novels is titled Zastave (The Flags) I made his profile out of all incarnations of Croatian flags during his lifetime. 

The poster is very successful but controversial because of the symbols in the past incarnations of the Croatian flags. Also, this poster design has received lots of attention and many international awards.

That is why this is the 4th year in a row that the festival has been using a variation of my design.

Here you can see the original poster and billboard design.

 

Design for The Festival Miroslav Krleža

To announce the "12th Festival Miroslav Krleža", the festival posted posters and billboards throughout the city of Zagreb, Croatia. I created this design two years ago for the "10th Festival Miroslav Krleža". The design was quite successful, so instead of assigning a new design every year, the festival decided to make this their permanent identity. 

Miroslav Krleža (1893-1981) was the most celebrated Croatian writer. I created characteristic Krleža’s profile out of all incarnations of Croatian flags during his lifetime. One of his most famous novels is titled "Zastave" (The Flags).

I created this design with help from Studio Imago from Croatia.

You can see more images of my designs for prior festivals here and here.

 

"10th Festival Miroslav Krleža" poster and billboard design

Miroslav Krleža (1893-1981) is the most celebrated Croatian writer. For the 10th Festival Miroslav Krleža, in Zagreb, I was asked to create a poster and billboard design.

I decided to draw Miroslav Krleža’s profile wearing his very characteristic hat. Because one of his most famous novels is titled Zastave (The Flags) I made his profile out of all incarnations of Croatian flags during his lifetime.

More here.

Anti-Coronavirus posters

Today on 20th street between 5th and 6th avenues, I was surprised to see, still untouched, the Anti-Coronavirus poster posters I designed and posted more than 6 months ago.

I was one of the artists invited by Poster House and Print magazine to do Anti-Coronavirus poster.

https://observer.com/2020/04/artist-psa-digital-art-campaign-nyc-times-square-billboards/

NYC Street Version of the Anti-Coronavirus poster

That was enough for me I wanted the poster/message to appear on less official ad spaces and that way could get attention of more of the community in NYC. I paid to print and distribute poster on Manhattan Bronx and Queens.You will see in the link even David Byrne put my poster on his instagram with a comment.

https://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-street-version-of-coronavirus-poster.html

Anti-Coronavirus poster in Ljubljana

I also managed to arrange printing and distribution of poster in Ljubljana, Slovena. 

https://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2020/04/anti-coronavirus-poster-in-ljubljana.html

Anti-Coronavirus billboards in Zagreb

And also managed to arrange printing and posting of 40 billboards around the city of Zagreb in Croatia.

https://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2020/04/anti-coronavirus-billboards-in-zagreb.html

Stay-Sane-Stay-Safe in Breda

The tree installations are traveling through Breda. They are aiming for seven locations in three weeks. I’m very pleased that my poster is one of the posters included in them.

https://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2020/05/stay-sane-stay-safe-in-breda.html

https://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2020/07/stay-sane-stay-safe-in-breda-3.html

Anti-Coronavirus posters in Belgrade, Serbia

I also managed to arrange printing and posting of 1000 posters around the city of Belgrade in Serbia.

https://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2020/05/anti-coronavirus-posters-in-belgrade.html

The 20th anniversary of the Ulysses Theater

The Ulysses Theatre was established in 2001 by one of Croatia's most famous contemporary actors, the internationally recognised Rade Šerbedžija along with his project partner, the writer Borislav Vujčić, this renowned summertime theatre entertains with evenings of classic and contemporary theatre, music and dance. Nearly all summer performances take place beneath the open sky in the 150-year-old Austro-Hungarian Fort Minor, which houses three separate amphitheatres on different levels. The fort is located on the Mali Brijun island of Brijuni part of Brijuni National Park. The historic setting is wonderfully atmospheric and performances sometimes use the space very imaginatively. Despite a classical repertoire, their productions can be very grunge, partly because of their environment.

When I was invited to create the posters and billboards for the 20th anniversary of the theatre, I decided to create something in that style, classical / grunge. To get the appropriate typography I chose my go-to hand letterer Nicky Lindeman.

Photographs of posters and billboards by Martin Horvat.

Anti-Coronavirus billboards in Zagreb

The Croatian version of my Anti-Coronavirus billboard has been posted on 40 locations round city of Zagreb. 

This was made possible by the effort of Nikola Djurek and Damir Belina. 

Nikola is font designer, who fonts I use in most of my designs lately, including this one. Damir is the owner of the Belina printing company. He has printed and display on his own expense all of the billboards. For that, I am grateful to both of them.

The billboards photos by Slaven Jandjel.

"Screw The One Who Started It" The Poster and Billboard

The poster and billboard for Yugoslav Drama Theater in Belgrade, Serbia's production of Mamu mu 

jebem ko je prvi počeo (Screw the one who started it) written by Dejan Dukovski.

"I wrote the text in the early nineties in this region. In some ways, it was a reaction to the view of war from 

a close range. The outrage of this view is also felt in the text. Outraged views of fallen angels. I did not 

want to write about war or comment on politics and military strategies of the time, the text is an homage 

to mythical theatrical situations about love and war, sex and violence. All scenes are replicas of already 

existing scenes of world dramaturgy. I guessed some things ... Like, for example, the young character of

 Shakespeare's Hamlet could have met in the town Wittenberg, the old and knowledgeable but decadent 

Marlowe's Faust. Learned to doubt. As I learned in those years." – Dejan Dukovski

"Screw The One Who Started It'

I just received a few photographs of the billboards and my design for the play Mamu mu jebem ko je prvi počeo (Screw the one who started it) , produced for the JDP Yugoslav Drama Theater in Belgrade, Serbia.

For more about this project, you can view this link:
https://www.behance.net/…/9073…/Screw-the-One-Who-Started-It