The first Panonian Watercolour Biennale 'Boris Salamaha' will take place from 30 September to 6 October in the Pannonia Valeria Gallery, at 73/A Osječka Street in Beli Manastir. The new artistic event brings together artists from Croatia, Hungary, and Vojvodina.
The biennale was launched in the year marking 20 years since the death of the Baranja painter, and the Academy of Art and Culture dedicated it to Boris Salamaha due to his extensive body of work and special connection to watercolour. According to the organizers, Salamaha produced over 15,000 artistic works during his more than half-century career, among which were approximately 12,000 watercolours. The Academy's Division of Fine Arts aims to redirect attention to the watercolour medium and artistic creation in the Panonian region through this exhibition.
Fifty-three artists applied for the first edition, with around 140 works submitted. The selection committee chose 30 works by 13 authors. Among the selected artists are those from Baranja, Osijek, Vinkovci, Rijeka, and the regions of Nova S and Mohács. The selected works present different approaches to watercolour and motifs related to the Panonian region, including the Danube, landscapes of Baranja, views of Osijek, the plant world, personal memories, and the history of Mohács. While established artists are featured, the organizers also wished to present authors who are still establishing their place in the artistic scene.
The Grand Prix for Excellence was awarded to the academic painter Rada Marković from Darde. Her work was created using a digital technique that achieves the effect of a watercolour, and the organizers note that the committee accepted it as an exception, serving as a stimulus for discussion on the relationship between traditional artistic techniques and new technologies. The second prize was awarded to Neven Živić from Rijeka, and the third to Josipa Popović from Novi Sad.
Special awards, in the form of certificates featuring the likeness of Boris Salampa, were presented to Marko Šošić, Srećo Baláš, Vanja Zanza, Daniela Pendi, Biserka Radišić, Darko Jovanović, Siniša Vojnović, and Milan Dvornić. Šošić was awarded for the diversity of his artistic expression, ranging from abstraction to hyperrealism; Baláš for the high range of expressive possibilities in watercolour; and Zanza for his unique and consistent artistic expression. Pendi received an award for her inventive approach to watercolour, while Radišić was recognised for her artistic sensitivity in the watercolour technique. Vojnović was awarded for his depiction of views of Osijek and the originality of his artistic style, while Dvornić was recognised for preserving local values through watercolour. The exhibition is supported by the City of Beli Manastir and the Osijek-Baranja County.
A children's watercolour workshop and a round table discussion on the relationship between watercolour and new technologies are scheduled as part of the biennale. The biennale runs concurrently with the retrospective exhibition 'Colours of Baranja', dedicated to the memory of Boris Salampa, which runs from 24 September to 31 October. The exhibition and catalogue are funded by the City of Beli Manastir and the Osijek-Baranja County.
