Croatian Holiday 2012

Croatian Holiday 2012 is a collection of products inspired by tourism. This traveling exhibition is a charming and nostalgic way of dealing with the country’s clichés and stereotypes, while evoking the seaside atmosphere. Its main purpose is to stimulate debate on the importance of connecting design and tourism in Croatia.
Croatia is a land where neither the production industry nor the tourist offer have regained their former, Yugoslavian capacities. Taking into consideration that this heaven on earth lives off tourism and takes in over 11 million foreign and domestic tourists a year, it is quite astounding and paradoxical that the tourist offer of this potentially large export market does not include products by Croatian designers. On the other hand, more than ever before, young Croatian product designers now work within independent productions. This phenomenon is particularly interesting because it coincides with worldwide conceptual design trends – albeit purely accidentally, because Croatian conceptual design is actually the result of improvisation and the lack of funding for culture and production capacities, not of a logical post-industrial saturation. Therefore, this type of design is a necessity for Croatia and local designers do not produce limited editions because they favour design as art, but because they are forced to.
The Croatian Holiday 2012 concept is an attempt to establish direct communication between two Croatian sectors – tourism and design. Such a road must inevitably be paved with already authenticated methods. That is why the Milan exhibition is merely an excuse for curators to initiate design and inspire designers to produce independently.
Tourism is the key component of Croatia’s economic development. It relies mostly on the country’s geographical features, but induces a wide range of other activities – such as trade, hospitality, agriculture, sports, communications, travel, architecture and various cultural initiatives. These activities and all the other aspects of Croatian tourism have a massive potential for a showcase of creative energy. Design has an important role in forming a cultural identity, while tourism, on the other hand, is a theme that yet needs to be explored and questioned in the Croatian context. This theme can serve as an excellent catalyst for establishing this cultural identity through design.
20 young Croatian designers have been asked to participate and undertake creative research and a critical approach in questioning the sociology of tourism. The result is an imaginary brand consisting of 15 products that is envisioning and commenting on the future of tourism, while at the same time relying on the existing heritage and tourist experience of the country. The collection engulfs wide array of products intended for tourism interiors/exteriors, such as cute and witty puns, souvenirs, urban installations and ready-made items.
 

A vegetarian mih

by Noel Šuran

A pinch of salt

by Manufakturist

Bukaleta

by Sabina Barbiš, Mario Depicolzuane

Brrr

by Manufakturist

Croatia — as it is

by Ira Payer, Maša Poljanec, Andro Giunio

Endangered particle

by Barbara Blasin

Fogun

by Branimir Paškvan

Hither en thither

by Kuna_Zlatica

Katriga

by Neven Kovačić

Lightwear

by Nina Bačun and Roberta Bratović

Plupa

by Jaša Zelmanović, Jelena Azinović

Viewcatchers

by Tina Müller, Dora Bilić

Void

by Nikolina Jelić

w/w glass

by Manufakturist