Marin Ivanović, recipient of the “Željko Sabol” Award for Visual Arts in 2025, sent Minister Sanja Vlaisavljević a response to her congratulatory message, which we hereby convey in full:

Dear Minister Vlaisavljević,

I sincerely thank you for the congratulatory message you sent me on the occasion of receiving the “Željko Sabol” Award for the curatorial concept of the project “Measure of the Sea.” This award is a confirmation of the success of the Pavilion of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 60th Venice Biennale, held in 2024. Your message arrived as a beautiful and important acknowledgment of the values that the project “Measure of the Sea” represented in building our rich and layered cultural space.

Your support and attention to our shared achievement, as well as your backing during its initial realisation, send a strong message about the importance of systematic care for cultural development and museum activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I hope this stands as an encouraging fact for all those who, through their creativity, contribute to the cultural identity and spiritual vitality of our society. We especially value your words recognising the depth and breadth of such an award, as well as the significance it carries for the Croat people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The congratulatory message you sent has magnified this moment, and your presence further strengthened the feeling that work, effort, and artistic contribution are recognized at the highest level.

Once again, I warmly thank you for your attention, time and support.

With highest respect,

Marin Ivanović

Director of the Museum of Modern Art