DORIAN PACAK
RETRO-MACHO
29.4.-20.5.2025.
KARAS GALLERY

On Tuesday, 29.4.2025. Dorian Pacak opens his solo exhibition entitled Retro-Macho, at 7 pm in Karas Gallery (Ulica kralja Zvonimira 58).

In her foreword, Franka Puharić emphasizes:
With his exhibition, Retro-Macho, Dorian Pacak effectively parodies this contemporary issue by crafting character-sculptures in ceramics – a medium associated with quality, expense, and a long-standing tradition – in contrast to their well-known plastic counterparts (action and scale figures). By presenting carefully selected characters as busts, typically reserved for historically significant figures or wealthy patrons, Dorian elevates their overall value – whether monetary or sentimental. Through the predominantly traditional medium of ceramics, he continues to explore ideas rooted in “popular” collecting, which are particularly evident in the various versions of the He-Man busts. One is painted entirely white to suggest rarity and desirability, similar to the “holographic versions” of Pokémon cards, while simultaneously referencing the unpainted sculptures of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The same goes for the Ninja Turtle busts, whose names, borrowed from old masters, ironically point to a strong connection with tradition.

PREFACE

Biography:
Born on 5 May 1996 in Zagreb. He graduated from the Fifth Gymnasium in Zagreb in 2015, and in 2017 enrolled in Art Education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. He graduated in sculpture in 2023 under the mentorship of Ivan Fijolić. He has exhibited in five solo exhibitions (Crta Gallery, Lauba (Šalji dalje), Polica Gallery, M23 Gallery, Šira Gallery), and in several group exhibitions (Šira Gallery, Karas Gallery, Pallas Projects/Studios Gallery, Canvas Gallery, Bačva Gallery, SC Gallery, etc.). He has also participated in art projects such as Art in the Community: Redefining the Legacy of the Zemlja Group, Grand Tour: Postcolonial Pilgrimage and Age of Pyramid (Mexico), and Staring at the Sea (Ireland). He lives and works in Zaprešić.

The exhibition will be open during the period from 29.4. to 20.5.2025.
Working hours of Karas Gallery
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 4pm – 8pm
Tuesday, Saturday 10am – 1pm
On Sundays and Mondays closed.
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http://karasarthub.eu
Organizer: HDLU
With the support of: Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, City of Zagreb