I Love Zagreb – Operation: City
/5
- I Love Zagreb – Operation: City
- Volim Zagreb - Operacije: grad
- 2008
- 5 color photographs, video, 1min, 14sec
- 30,8 × 44,8 cm
“I Love Zagreb” shows a performance that paraphrases two actions. On the one hand, it is a homage to Tomislav Gotovac’s 1971 performance “Zagreb I Love You.” The second part is entitled “Operation: City” and refers to the assassination of Ivo Pukanić, editor-in-chief of the once-influential Croatian political weekly Nacional. In 2008, Pukanić was murdered by members of Croatian and Serbian organized crime groups. After the murder, the suspect was filmed by surveillance cameras as he left the crime scene wearing a black motorcycle helmet. This video has become part of Slaven Tolj's performance and video installation.
In this work, Tolj combines both Gotovac’s performance and Pukanić’s assassination, walking through the center of Zagreb wearing a black motorcycle helmet with its visor closed. In contrast to Gotovac, who was naked as he lay down on the ground to make love to the city, Tolj emphasizes anonymity in his performance by walking around completely disguised. His focus is thus on the differing social and political contexts in which these actions were carried out. W.S.
In this work, Tolj combines both Gotovac’s performance and Pukanić’s assassination, walking through the center of Zagreb wearing a black motorcycle helmet with its visor closed. In contrast to Gotovac, who was naked as he lay down on the ground to make love to the city, Tolj emphasizes anonymity in his performance by walking around completely disguised. His focus is thus on the differing social and political contexts in which these actions were carried out. W.S.