Damir Fabijanić: Deliciously Croatia

Through selected details of cultural and natural heritage, history and the present, as well as ingredients and culinary delicacies from various parts of Croatia, Damir Fabijanić establishes visual, associative, and aesthetic connections between two motifs. The exhibition Deliciously Croatia, created in 2015, is being presented in Croatia for the first time. It is a photo essay in which Fabijanić takes us on an exciting journey through Croatia, from the enchanting Adriatic to the diverse inland regions. The salt pans in Nin, sunny vineyards in Kutjevo and on Pelješac, rich wine cellars of Baranja and Istria, gentle snow-covered hills of Zagorje, vineyards wresting land from the barren rocky terrain, architectural heritage, and other motifs tell us a story of the beauty of nature and the diligence of hardworking hands. They also tell a story of creativity, expressed through traditional dishes and delicacies such as viška and komiška pogača, Rapska torta, and Istrian dessert with truffles. As publisher, editor-in-chief, and (for three decades) a freelance photographer, Fabijanić presents through these photographs a personal vision of Croatia, as well as what constitutes an inseparable part of its national identity. Because a destination is not only made up of the beauty and diversity of its nature and cultural heritage, but also of its delicacies, tasty and healthy food, and its people—their contributions woven into that specific genius loci, the spirit of the place, which makes us fall in love with cities, villages, and landscapes.

Damir Fabijanić has been a professional photographer since 1987 and is a multiple-award-winning author of over one hundred and fifty solo exhibitions in Croatia and around the world. He is the creator of numerous photographic cycles and projects (Plodovi zla, Dubrovački ljetnikovac, London from A to Z, U sredini stvari, Paška čipka, and others) and a collaborator with various institutions. Through the exhibition of his photographs Welcome Croatia, displayed in the parliaments of Brussels and Strasbourg, the European Union celebrated Croatia’s accession to the EU in 2013. He was the chief photographer and photo editor for the magazines Croatia (Croatia Airlines) and Oris. Since 2007, he has been the founder, editor, photographer, and photo editor of the eno-gastronomic magazine Iće&piće, the first eno-gastronomic magazine in Croatia, featuring a high-standard concept and design inspired by leading international magazines in the field. In March 2012, Iće&piće was named the third best gourmet magazine in the world.