Vasko’s Blue Tree in Split
On Wednesday July 13th, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the birth of Vasko Lipovac and the 5th anniversary of his death, a sculpture and graphic Blue Tree was inaugurated.
This was the last of a number of events that took place over the last month, all part of the Open Vasko Lipovac’s Atelier Days, a project organized by the Val Society (Wave Society). The whole project has once again highlighted the richness of the author’s opus and the necessity of its presentation in Split. On this occasion, at the beginning of Vukovarska Street, as an integral part of the already existent tree avenue, and in the immediate vicinity of the atelier where Lipovac worked for the last twenty years of his life; the Blue Tree has been placed and it will remain there over the next three months in honor of the great artist form Split. The celebratory program was hosted by Tonči Šitin. Dinko Kovačić and Joško Belamarić also spoke about Lipovac while Ive Šimat Banov wrote a few words about the artist. On behalf of the artist’s family Mario Lipovac has thanked everyone involved with this program; and Milena Lipovac, the artist’s wife, presented the deputy mayor Anđelka Visković with the Blue Tree graphic as a sign of gratitude for all the assistance the City has provided them with.
A large number of people form Split gathered that evening by the new tree to honor Lipovac, and also to enjoy the urban moment created around the Blue Tree. With drinks served, the “visitors” were entertained by the Harpoon Blues Band.
The new tree is an indication of Vasko Lipovac’s rich opus, but it also fits in with some of the current city themes. On the one hand, at the moment when many of the city’s green areas are being replaced by parking spaces, this sculpture is a symbolic statement about the role the trees have in urban landscape and the joy they bring to the inhabitants. On the other hand, public monuments are a very popular topic in Split and the opinions on the matter are divided. The Blue Tree is an excellent example of how a public sculpture can be cheerful in nature, enrich people’s daily life and bring those urban zones that are further away from Riva back to life. The issue of urban sculpture or public monuments was one of the issues touched on by Belamarić in his speech.
Tonči Kranjčević Batalić
