Concrete Love
Architecture & Love. Following process of saving architectonical masterpiece through community-art project, film shows how obsession for one leads to loss of another. How thin is line between finding sense and misunderstanding...
Boris (53) is a Croatian theatre/film director and actor. Around the time he was born, Croatian architect Ivan Vitić built a skyscraper in Zagreb, an extraordinary piece of architecture, famous worldwide today. In 2002, Boris saw this building and “fell in love” with it at immediately. Inspired by its colourful and changeable facade (with movable wooden blinds), Boris decided to make international art projects there. He moved in and noticed the building was falling apart; both literally and metaphorically. Boris decided to restore the building. By any means. At the same period, Boris met his wife, fell in love with her and had a daughter with her. He divided his time between working with the tenants and his family. In order to repair the building, he started to speak with the tenants. They did not want any change at all. Boris tried to sensitize the tenants and the public by making numerous art initiatives there; concerts on the roof, performances in front of the building etc. He spent more and more time with the building until it became his obsession. Almost his mistress. Things in Boris' private life started to get worse as he started losing the sense of reality. However, all his devotion paid off; in autumn 2011, the tenants got a final decision from the Zagreb City Council; they won a grant, the building would be restored. After the restoration of the building was announced, Boris started repairing his private life, too - but that is another project...
Boris (53) is a Croatian theatre/film director and actor. Around the time he was born, Croatian architect Ivan Vitić built a skyscraper in Zagreb, an extraordinary piece of architecture, famous worldwide today. In 2002, Boris saw this building and “fell in love” with it at immediately. Inspired by its colourful and changeable facade (with movable wooden blinds), Boris decided to make international art projects there. He moved in and noticed the building was falling apart; both literally and metaphorically. Boris decided to restore the building. By any means. At the same period, Boris met his wife, fell in love with her and had a daughter with her. He divided his time between working with the tenants and his family. In order to repair the building, he started to speak with the tenants. They did not want any change at all. Boris tried to sensitize the tenants and the public by making numerous art initiatives there; concerts on the roof, performances in front of the building etc. He spent more and more time with the building until it became his obsession. Almost his mistress. Things in Boris' private life started to get worse as he started losing the sense of reality. However, all his devotion paid off; in autumn 2011, the tenants got a final decision from the Zagreb City Council; they won a grant, the building would be restored. After the restoration of the building was announced, Boris started repairing his private life, too - but that is another project...