The 41st Zagreb Salon: The Phantom of "Advancement"

written by Maroje Mrduljaš

The Zagreb Salon of Architecture has changed over the last six years, as it looks for a conceptual framework and a method of valuation which will respond to the current moment of culture and civilization in the Croatian social context. Back in 2000, the 35th Salon departed from the traditional practice of reviewing the architectural scene and introduced a sharper, limited selection and a personally designed exhibition. The 38th Salon introduced the concept of fully personalized selection, entrusted to a foreign authority, Stefano Boeri. The sequence of conceptual changes in the Salon caused the usual resistance and complaints that follow changes to cultural events with a tradition of many years, but such dissatisfaction was not critically developed and provided no careful analyses of the results or any consequences brought by such changes.