Marin Ivanović, curator and director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Mostar and professor of art history at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Mostar, was awarded the “Željko Sabol” Prize for Fine Arts for 2025 at the City Museum in Bjelovar. On this occasion, the Federal Minister of Culture and Sports, Sanja Vlaisavljević, sent a congratulatory note, which we present in full:
Dear Mr. Ivanović,
It is with great pleasure and sincere respect that I extend my congratulations on receiving the “Željko Sabol” Award for Fine Arts for 2025. This award, granted to you for your curatorial concept at the Venice Biennale of sculptor Stjepan Skoko, is a confirmation of your visionary role in presenting Croatian art on the international stage.
Your work, through which you thoroughly studied the artist’s oeuvre, devised media support and communication channels, and at the highest level promoted the representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Biennale, demonstrates exceptional expertise, dedication, and love for art. It is especially significant that this marks the first appearance of a Croatian sculptor from Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Venice Biennale, an event that has entered history and will forever remain linked to your curatorial activity.
Your role in founding the Museum of Modern Art in Mostar, as well as your collaboration with institutions in Croatia, further testifies to your commitment to connecting cultural spaces and building bridges between communities. In doing so, you have greatly enriched the cultural life of Bosnia and Herzegovina and provided a powerful example of how courage and vision can achieve international success.
The award you have received is a well-deserved recognition, but also an encouragement to future curators and art historians to believe in the power of ideas and perseverance.
I wish that this recognition inspires you to new projects, brings you additional strength and motivation, and that you continue to enrich the cultural life of the region with your work.
With respect and warm regards,
Sanja Vlaisavljević, Minister