Festival of ecology and art, excursion, work action, sports and music program, presentation of an art installation, fun and socializing. All this happened 6. 7. on October 6th ,7th and 8th in the canyon of the River Bijela and at OPG Pueblo Escondido, which marked the end of the “It’s not too late” project.
After the previous eco-cleaning actions, which relieved the entrance to the canyon of 120 cubic meters of various waste and loose glass, the final action used this waste for an installation by the American artist Dodd Holsapple, who stayed at the Pueblo Escondido estate in Lončari for five weeks.
On the first day, on Friday, October 6th, a workshop was held to make Holsapple’s installation, and near the estate, about thirty volunteers and climbers arranged a new attractive boulder climbing area Trbovići.
In the evening, there was a public presentation of the paper “Mapping the habitats of Seagrass beds of the Karin Sea: Zostera marina, Zostra noltei, Cymodocea nodosa” which is the result of the research work of the Marine Explorers Society 20.000 leagues as part of the “IT IS NOT TOO LATE Seagrass beds” project presented by Hrvoje Čizmek, president of the Marine Explorers Society 20.000 leagues.
This was followed by a conversation with Dodd Holsapple during which his completed Installation was presented “On Accepting The Undesirable – See Glass Again”. In addition to the author of the installation, Juraj Aras from Teatro Verrdi from Zadar and Marko Simić, president of the Association of Potters from Karin Gornji, also spoke.
The evening continued with a food art performance by Buba Buba from OPG Due di Denari from Karin Gornji and a performance by DJ Grance from Zadar, who encouraged the participants to dance to selected alternative electronic music.
The final action began on Saturday, October 7th, when the American artist, through his live performing art act, completed the last two segments of the mosaic installation with the interaction and cooperation of 120 volunteers. Five tons of garbage were also collected from the location and taken to the landfill in bags. In the afternoon of the same day was reserved for walks, highline and climbing activities in the River Bijela canyon. In the evening, the socializing continued at OPG Pueblo Escondido, with the performance of the bands Bamwise, then Munchies Sound System, Heavy Duty SoundSystem and DJ Lasmo.
The gathering continued the day after, on Sunday, October 8th, with the viewing and reflection of engaged art films, when the story of the Italian fisherman activist Paolo Fanciulli and the underwater museum that saved the sea grass plants was presented. Also, the art film “IT IS NOT TOO LATE” by Vladimir Miketa was shown, which in its own way launched an avalanche of activities and diverse collaborations in this area, specifically the dialogue between art and ecology.
Throughout the event, participants could visit the sales exhibition of Dodd Holsapple from Los Angeles (CA), who created an exclusive series of original works of art on the theme of the Croatian iris as a valuable national plant that is also present in the canyon of the River Bijela.
The Croatian iris is part of the long-term project “Flora Exotica Series” composed of 30 original works of art on the occasion of the performance of the art installation “See Glass Again – On Accepting The Undesirable” and the project “ItIsNotTooLate”.
The workshop is part of the project „#itIsNotTooLate – Seagrass beds: Zostera marina, Zostera noltei and Cymodocea nodosa, their significance for fish life and the overall ecosystem of the three seas area“, as part of campaign at the end of June 2022 also held to clean up the River Zrmanja.
The action is part of a project approved through the Three Seas FLAG competition for the selection of the Measure 2.1 project. support for the valuation, protection and promotion of the natural resource base – rivers, seas and coasts within the implementation of the Local Development Strategy in fisheries FLAG Three Seas for the period 2014-2020.
The series of events that took place from September 16th to October 10th was also supported by the Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
Co-financed by means of:
European Union from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
Three Seas FLAG for project selection Measures 2.1. support for the valuation, protection and promotion of the natural resource base – rivers, seas and coasts within the implementation of the Local Development Strategy in fisheries FLAG Three Seas for the period 2014-2020.
SNV Serb National Council
Adria Think D.O.O.
Organization and production of sports and cultural programs:
Association for nature, environment, sustainable development and tourism Lončari, Sports-Climbing Club Paklenica.
Participating: Students of ALU Split, Students of ALU Zagreb, NMMU Zagreb, Students of the Zadar High School of Natural Sciences and Graphics, Erasmus student network Zadar, Sports climbing club Paklenica, The Serbian Cultural Society “Prosvjeta” , SNV-The Serb National Council, Association Lončari, Organization Ocean of Knowledge, Art organization Teatro VeRRdi, Association Vizura Aperta, Center for new media_kuda.org, Eko Zrmanja Association, Karin Resort Association, OPG Pueblo Escondido, OPG Due di denari Karin Gornji.
The event #itIsNotTooLate River Bijela 2023, taking place from September 16th to October 10th, is supported by the Office for Human Rights and the Rights of National Minorities of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
