Snježana Može-Pigeon

Tell us something about Zagreb, Croatia, where you were born and raised.

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia with approximately one million inhabitants. The city is over 900 years old and is very typical of a mid-sized Central European city of Austrian Empire vintage. Zagreb is a city of culture (theatre, opera, concerts) and tradition.  Croatia itself is approximately the size of Nova Scotia and a good portion of it lies on the Adriatic Sea. Tourism is a major industry, with millions of visitors each year to the beaches along the Adriatic coast, and the largest source of foreign income.  Agriculture, food processing, chemical and pharmaceutical industries are all also important.

Is Zagreb an exciting place for artists?

It would be better to describe Zagreb as the home of many serious professional artists rather than as an "exciting" place for artists. Zagreb has an Academy of Art with a long tradition. Many artists become professors and school teachers as they cannot live from their art alone. There are quite a few galleries, one of the oldest being the Strossmayer Gallery, which dates from 1862 and features Renaissance and Baroque works. There is a large publicly-funded library system (25 branches), in which I used to work as an Information Librarian. There is also a major long-established university, the University of Zagreb, which I attended, and two major concert halls of international standard.

There is a very lively theatre scene, again with a long tradition, and many active theatres. During the 60's to 80's there were many film co-productions with American (i.e. Hollywood) companies, as well as with German, French and other European producers, though since the war in 1991 this is no longer the case. There are constantly major operatic, symphonic, and other musical events, except during the July and August summer hiatus.  

How do you compare the arts in Zagreb, Prague and Vancouver?

What each of the three cities has in common is that the work of local "old masters" fetches good prices.  In Prague and Vancouver commercial artists are, I think, better paid, although I personally have sold the most of my paintings in Zagreb.

What is the highest praise you've received for you work?

A friend of mine who is an academy artist and university professor told me when he saw my painting "Gazebo" to "just continue like that".  This is especially high praise as it came from someone I respect a lot as both an artist and a man of integrity.  

What is the most important criticism you've received?

Unfortunately, I have never received any important criticism of my work. Perhaps viewers of my website could give me some useful feedback.

How has your training in comparative literature and librarianship affected your art?

My training in literature and librarianship is most evident in my cycle "Proverbial Sayings".  These paintings I feel bring out the "real me".

You have a master's degree in Information Sciences. Do you work in intellectual mediums as well as creative mediums?

I have done a fair amount of writing over the past five years. I turned my Master's thesis on marketing for not-for-profit organizations into a book, which unfortunately so far remains unpublished.  I also wrote a number of articles for the Croatian Journal of Librarianship, as well as articles for a couple of Croatian mass circulation magazines.  But in the past couple of years I have been fully concentrated on painting.  

Do you have a family of your own, and how does your family life fit in with your career? 

My husband Michael and I are alone here in Prague. We have no children of our own, though Mike has a teenage daughter from a previous marriage, who visits us in the summer and over Christmas. I have no children.  My mother and stepfather are alive and well in Zagreb. Since there is just my husband and myself, I have no problem carrying on my painting activities during week days, though I leave the weekends free for us.    

What is your most memorable experience in exhibition?

My exhibition in June 2004 at the Chodovska Tvrz Gallery here in Prague was a completely nice event. First of all, this public gallery is run by a Mr. Milan Martinik who is an academically-trained sculptor, and who is very picky about whom he accepts to exhibit their work. So I took it as a big compliment, and affirmation of my work, to be offered the opportunity to have an exhibition at this location. Secondly, the opening was very well attended by amongst others, the Ambassador of Croatia to the Czech Republic, Dr. Broz, and his wife. And finally, the vernissage was taped and shown on local TV.      

The week-long workshop I attended in July 2004 in the province of Burgenland, Austria was also very interesting because I had a chance to meet artists from all over Europe, and to work in, and to enjoy, their company.

What is your greatest challenge as an artist?

Currently, my greatest challenge as an artist frankly is marketing my work. In the longer term, I also have the hope that one day a famous gallery such as the Tate in London will purchase one of my paintings for permanent exhibition.

Snježana, thank you for your time and generosity. I wish you great successes!