The solo exhibition of our painter Dr. Art. Dina Jakšić Pavasović, titled “A Small Format of a Large Painting”, officially opened on 11 June 2023 at the Small Format Gallery – Koloč in Bol on the island of Brač. This unique exhibition represents a new step in the artist’s creative journey and demonstrates her ability to successfully translate her distinctive painterly language into an entirely different format.
The exhibition was opened by renowned Croatian actress Anja Šovagović, who delivered a memorable performance inspired by an excerpt from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. By connecting themes from the play with Dina’s life and artistic development, she transformed the opening into a remarkable artistic event that offered visitors an additional layer of interpretation and experience.
The audience was also addressed by art historian Ines Kraljević, director of the Small Format Gallery and author of the exhibition catalogue text. Speaking about Dina’s artistic approach, she noted that the artist “not only accepted the challenge, but raised the bar by accepting the invitation to create an entire exhibition for the gallery,” highlighting the complexity of transferring the energy of large-format painting into miniature works.
This is Dina Jakšić Pavasović’s first exhibition dedicated entirely to miniature paintings. Through a series of twenty small-format works, the artist explores the possibility of transferring the expressive brushstrokes, rich textures, and intense colour relationships characteristic of her large canvases onto paintings measuring only 21 × 21 centimetres. It is precisely for this reason that the exhibition bears the title “A Small Format of a Large Painting.” The title refers not only to the relationship between scale and content but also to the idea that all the miniature works together can form one large painting.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the exhibition is that each painting functions as an independent artwork while simultaneously becoming part of a larger visual whole. Even when the arrangement of the paintings is altered, the overall harmony remains intact. As Ines Kraljević writes, “each small canvas represents a small stage with its own story and scenario, but only when we step back can we see the broader picture.”
The Small Format Gallery in Bol holds a special place within the Croatian art scene. It was established through the generous donation of miniature artworks by collector and artist Ivica Karninčić – Koloč, who donated more than 300 works by 260 artists, including some of the most important names in Croatian art history. Karninčić often emphasised that creating a successful artwork in a small format is one of the greatest challenges for an artist, as it requires maintaining compositional balance, proportion, and conceptual clarity within a limited space.
Dina’s cycle of miniature paintings confirms precisely that idea. Through layered oil paint, pronounced textures, and her characteristic red forms that appear as visual accents, the artist creates works filled with energy and emotional presence. Dominant blue, green, and yellow surfaces, combined with vivid red lines, form dynamic compositions that invite personal interpretation.
The exhibition “A Small Format of a Large Painting” is yet another confirmation of Dina Jakšić Pavasović’s artistic maturity and her ability to explore new formats without compromising her distinctive artistic identity. At the same time, it enriches the cultural life of the island of Brač and highlights the importance of the Small Format Gallery as a place where art, tradition, and contemporary visual expression meet.
