Location: Little gallery of the Split City Museum (Diocletian Street)

Dates: March 21 – April 24, 2026

In Christian tradition, the period of Lent is understood as a time of reflection, silence, and withdrawal from everyday noise—a time for inner deepening and spiritual preparation for the Easter mystery. It is precisely from this spiritual and symbolic framework that the exhibition “Ecce Homo” emerges, bringing together the works of two artists who, each in her distinctive visual language, draw on motifs from Christian iconography, placing Christ and His message of love for humanity at the center.

The presented works are also expressions of personal spiritual journeys, processes of transformation, reflection, and contemplation. Reflecting on Christ’s Passion, the artists shape experiences of inner transformation through a powerful and expressive visual language—experiences that are at once deeply personal and universal.

In this painting cycle, Karin Grenc demonstrates a strong focus on the figure of Christ as the central protagonist of her works. Expressive figuration is the main element of her visual language, while the wooden surface plays an important role, not merely as a support for the painting but as an active participant in shaping meaning, evoking symbolism of the cross and transformation. The growth rings, cracks, and texture of the wood become an integral part of the composition and its symbolic layer. Her restrained yet suggestive color palette does not serve description but emphasizes the emotional and spiritual tension of the motif.

Ana Marija Botteri’s works also belong to the iconographic circle of Christ’s Passion, arising from personal contemplation of the Paschal mystery. They are characterized by linear stylization of faces and bodies, reduction of volume, simplification of anatomy, and gestural brushstrokes. In her painting, color is a crucial vehicle of emotional and spiritual intensity, dominated by cool tones of blue, turquoise, and violet, creating an atmosphere of silence, reflection, and inner pain. In motifs such as Christ’s tormented face and Veronica’s veil, the artist does not remain at the level of citing tradition but, through her own painterly language, expresses personal compassion and invites the viewer to recognize Christ in every person in need.

The painterly expression of both artists is authentic, thoughtful, and deeply personal, and their works encourage the viewer to inward reflection, encounter with oneself, and openness toward others.

More info: https://mgs.hr/