Park Eden i kipovi Emila Milana Grgurića

For over thirty years, the outsider artist Emil Milan Grgurić (1919-1997) worked on a sculpture garden he called the Garden of Eden, surrounding his villa Katarina, located in the fishing village of Kukljica on the coast of the Croatian island of Ugljan. Within the garden, which measures around 1350-square meters, some 35 concrete statues, mostly life-size or larger, flank the grounds and pathway toward the central villa. They include a self-portrait of the artist as well as several composite works with intricate narratives; many are identified with carved names or comments. The villa itself has the footprint of a four-leaf clover; designed and built by Grgurić himself, it can also be understood as a work of sculptural architecture. The façade culminates in a high gable topped with a portrait bust of Grgurić's mother, Katarina, for whom the home is named. The interiors are as interesting and impressive as the exterior of the building; about 20 large and complex concrete reliefs, each with numerous figures and other elements, are set of by deep colored walls. The themes generally depict motifs from the Bible as well as Croatia's stormy history. All of Grgurić's works are thoughtfully conceptualized as well as very well constructed ; set within the carefully maintained Mediterranean garden full of mature trees and shrubs, the work provides a compelling visit for the viewer.