Biography
From Sketch to Sculpture
Ivan Fijolić was born in 1976 in Zagreb, during the final years of Yugoslavia—a time marked by contradictions that would later echo through his artistic expression: between monumental solemnity and everyday irony, between ideals and disillusionment. His early interest in shaping materials led him to the School of Applied Arts and Design, where he specialized in metal design. This early exposure to craftsmanship and material discipline helped develop a strong sense of form, which would become the foundation of his future sculptural language.
Yet Fijolić’s expression was never rooted solely in technical skill. From the very beginning, he showed a deep interest in symbolism, visual humor, and cultural references that transcended pure form. At the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, where he enrolled in the Teaching Department, he began developing a sculptural approach that balanced figuration and idea, the personal and the collective. Even in his student works, one could recognize themes that would accompany his future oeuvre—self-portraiture, monuments, and the culture of popular memory. The early 2000s were marked by intense production: self-portrait series, exploration of porcelain and plastic, and performative works like Duel and the award-winning 12 Self-Portraits. His sculpture Bruce Lee in Mostar (2006) brought him regional recognition and opened a broader conversation about sculpture as public commentary.
Education and Academic Career
Fijolić graduated in 2004 from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Teaching Department—under the mentorship of Mira Vuča (sculpture) and Emil Robert Tanay (teaching methodology). Alongside his artistic development, he cultivated an interest in pedagogy—not as a separate discipline, but as a direct extension of his creative practice. Throughout the 2000s, he exhibited widely, developed his sculptural language, and in 2008, began postgraduate studies at the same institution. In 2016, he defended his doctoral thesis titled "The Role of the Pedestal in Pop-Art Monument Sculpture", formally anchoring his theoretical engagement with a theme that has consistently shaped his work: the monument in a postmodern context.
Since 2010, he has been a faculty member at the Academy of Fine Arts, where he currently serves as Associate Professor in the Sculpture Department. His teaching philosophy centers around an investigative approach to sculpture—through process journaling, daily sketching, material experimentation, and constant questioning of form. He encourages students not to search for answers, but to formulate their own questions. In this sense, his teaching resembles dialogue more than instruction. Fijolić has also served on numerous juries and expert committees, and has been active in curatorial and exhibition programming—further contributing to the contemporary Croatian art scene.
Creative Process and Inspirations
At the heart of Fijolić’s artistic process lies the question: how can an idea be shaped so it can be touched, circled, and recognized in space? His sculptures are not illustrations of thought—they are thinking forms unto themselves: made by hand, yet conceptually charged. The materials he uses—bronze, polyester, porcelain, wood—are not merely technical choices, but symbolic masses. Bronze carries the weight of history, polyester evokes industrial pop, and porcelain brings fragile intellect to the surface. Fijolić uses them fluidly, but always with full awareness of their meaning.
His inspirations are wide-ranging: from comic books and action figures to classical sculpture, everyday objects, political personas, and his own image. Self-portraiture has long been a recurring theme—not as literal representation, but as a foundation for play, caricature, and identity multiplication. His sculpture does not shy away from humor—in fact, irony often serves as the entry point to deeper narrative structures. Many of his figures are “anti-monuments”: instead of glorifying, they interrogate; instead of exalting form, they open it; instead of pathos, they pose doubt. And yet, Fijolić never denies sculpture its gravitas—he simply recalibrates it according to the logic of contemporary myth.
/1/ Solo Exhibitions
2000.
Izložba skulptura
Galerija SC, Zagreb
2000.
Dani Europskog Filma
Kinoteka, Zagreb
2002.
Check Your Head Out
Galerija VN, Zagreb
2002.
Fiction 4 life
Galerja Medianox, Maribor, Slovenija
2002.
Arhitektonika
Galerija Močvara, Zagreb
2003.
12 autoportreta
Otvoreno Učilište, Poreč
2004.
1:1
Galerija Zanardi, Basano del Grapa, Italija
2004.
Novi radovi
Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti, Zagreb
2005.
Lajtmotivi
Galerija Galženica, Velika Gorica
2005.
Blockbusters
Galerija Josip Račić, Zagreb
2006.
Lajtmotivi
Galerija Komiža, Vis
2006.
Leather Comics
Galerija Kristofor Stanković, Zagreb
2007.
Vertikalni triptih
Galerija Križić Roban,Zagreb
2008.
Cinemaniac
Mmc Luka, Pula
2008.
Linienstrasse 113
Berlin, Njemačka
2008.
Podvojena ličnost
Gal. 10 m2, Sarajevo,BiH
2009.
Školica
Galerija SC, Zagreb
2009.
Studio Golo brdo (s Kristinom Lenard)
Rovinjsko selo
2010.
Dobar,loš, krelac
MMC, Rovinj
2010.
Dobar,loš, krelac
Gradska galerija, Labin,Hrvatska
2010.
Dobar,loš, krelac
Mali salon, Rijeka, Hrvatska
2011.
Ivan Fijolić
Zlatni Ajngel, Varaždin Hrvatska
2011.
Noviji radovi
Galerija S, Koprivnica, Hrvatska
2012.
NEO NOB
kuća Lauba, Zagreb, Hrvatska
2013.
NEO NOB
Muzej istorije Jugoslavije, Beograd, Srbija
2014.
Dvije palme na otoku sreće
Aleja skulptura (nasip), Zagreb, Hrvatska
2014.
NEO NOB
Nacionalna Galerija Çifte Amam, Skopje, Makedonija
2015.
Ivan Fijolić
KULTURNA USTANOVA GALERIJA KULA, Split, Hrvatska
/2/ Group Exhibitions
1999.
25. Salon Mladih
HDLU, Zagreb
2000.
7. Trienale Kiparstva
Gliptoteka, Zagreb
2001.
Razmeđa
Umjetnički Pavilion, Zagreb
2001.
Izložba dobitnika Rektorove Nagrade
Galerija VN, Zagreb
2002.
15. Međunarodna izložba crteža
Muzej Moderne i Suvremene Umjetnosti, Rijeka
2002.
Here Tomorrow
Gliptoteka, Zagreb
2003.
Izložba sudionika Bienala Mladih Mediterana
Galerija Korzo, Rijeka
2003.
11. Bienale Mladih Mediterana
Atena, Grčka
2003.
8 Trienale Skulpture
Gliptoteka, Zagreb
2004.
1:1
Galerija Kordić, Velika Gorica
2004.
1:1
Galerija VN, Zagreb
2004.
Bad Art
Galerija VN, Zagreb
2004.
27. Salon Mladih
HDLU, Zagreb
2004.
Kolekcija Filip-trade
Dubrovnik
2004.
Nova Hrvatska Skulptura
Galerija Tvrđa, Osijek
2005.
Post skulptura
HDLU, Zagreb
2005.
27. Zagrebački salon
HDLU, Zagreb
2005.
Bienale Skulpture
Gorizia,Italija
2005.
Postskulptura
HDLU, Zagreb
2006.
U-35
Kyoto Art University Center, Japan
2006.
U-35
Yokohama, Japan
2006.
9. Trienale kiparstva
Gliptoteka, Zagreb
2006.
12. Bienale Umjetnosti
Galerija Savremene Umetnosti, Pančevo, Srbija
2006.
Device_art 2.006
San Francisco, USA
2006.
Device_art 2.006
Galerija Ozon, Beograd, Srbija
2006.
Device_art 2.006
Galerija Galženica, Velika Gorica
2006.
Vertikalni triptih
Galerija Križić Roban
2006.
Cinemaniac
Mmc Luka, Pula
2007.
42. Zagrebački salon
Velesajam, Zagreb
2007.
Heroes
Galerija Angelrow, Notingham, Engleska
2007.
Kvadrilaterale
MMSU, Rijeka
2008.
Like a man
Agenzia 04, Bologna, Italija
2008.
U drugom filmu
Motovun film festival, Hrvatska
2008.
MAX ART FEST
Zagreb, Hrvatska
2008.
Boys and their toys#
Galerija SC, Zagreb
2009.
27. Salon mladih
HDLU, Zagreb
2009.
Finalisti
Gradska galerija Labin
2009.
28. Grafičko bienale
Muzejsko galerijski likovni centar, Ljubljana, Slovenija
2009.
Splitski salon
Split, Hrvatska
2009.
X trienale hrvatskog kiparstva
Gliptoteka, Zagreb, Hrvatska
2010.
Galerija Alkatraz
Ljubljana, Slovenija
2010.
U drugom licu
Motovun, Hrvatska
2010.
Povratak u baštinu
Sv. Donat, Zadar, Hrvatska
2011.
THT@MSU
Muzej suvremene umjetnosti. Zagreb, Hrvatska
2011.
V. Dani grafike
Galerija Likovnih umjetnosti, Osijek, Hrvatska
2011.
Nestalni postav iz zbirke Filip trade
kuća Lauba, Zagreb, Hrvatska
2011.
Dimenzije humora
Galerija Kazamat, Osijek, Hrvatska
2012.
Stereo izložba
Gradska galerija, Nova Gorica, Slovenija
2012.
Dimenzije humora
Muzej suvremene umjetnosti, Istra, Pula, Hrvatska
2012.
Dimenzije humora
Dioklecijanovi podrumi, HDLU, Split, Hrvatska
2013.
Mit i Art u Galeriji Meno parkas
Kaunas, Litva
2013.
Nestalni postav zbirke Filip Trade
kuća Lauba, Zagreb, Hrvatska
2014.
Prostori između zemlje i vode
18.12.2014. - 25.01.2015., Künstlerhaus, Beč, Austrija
2015.
XII, trijenale hrvatskog kiparstva
Gliptoteka HAZU, Zagreb, Hrvatska
2015.
Superjunaci 2.0
Lauba, Zagreb, Hrvatska
2015.
Galerija Bačva
HDLU, Zagreb
2015.
Izložba natječajnih radova za umjetničko rješenje spomenika Dr. Franji Tuđmanu na Kninskoj tvrđavi u Gradu Kninu
Galerija Bačva, HDLU, Zagreb
2015.
RITUS CELEBRANDI
Podrumi Dioklecijanove palace, Split, Hrvatska
2016.
RETROPERSPEKTIVA – Ova bi djela mogla biti…
Galerija PM i Galerija Prsten, HDLU, Zagreb
2016.
(Re)thinking space and place
Flottmann- Hallen, Herne, Njemačka (18 umjetnika)
2016.
Izložba slika i crteža prema književnim motivima
Festival svjetske književnosti», Talijanski institut za kulturu, Preobraženska 4, Zagreb
2016.
Autoportret, portret, figura I akt u djelima hrvatskih umjetnika mlađe i srednje generacije
galerija Bačva, Zagreb
/3/ Awards and Recognitions
2001.
Rektorova nagrada za izložbu «Check your head out»
Galerija Vladimir Nazor
2004.
Nagrada Likovne Akademije Zagreb za diplomski rad «Okršaj»
Likovna Akademija Zagreb
2009.
Nagrada 37. Mediteranskog kiparskog simpozija za rad Školica
Labin
2011.
Nagrada za scenografiju predstave Kiklop - Euripid
Mini teatar, Scena Gorica i Teatar ITD, Zagreb
2015.
Jedna od tri jednakovrijedne nagrade na XII. trijenalu hrvatskog kiparstva
Gliptoteka, Zagreb
