TUDJMAN VISITS THREE EXHIBITIONS IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Jan 30 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, accompanied by his wife Ankica, on Saturday visited three galleries - the Zagreb Gallery of Modern Art, the Art Pavilion and the "Zvonimir" Gallery at the Croatian Army's Centre. In the Modern Gallery Tudjman viewed with the great interest the new exhibition "One Hundred Years of Croatian Art 1850-1950", the author of which is the head of Gallery, Igor Zidic. The exhibition includes 388 painting and sculptures. Zidic said an exhibition covering the period from 1950 to 2000 would be completed next year. After visiting the exhibition Tudjman was asked to comment on the Croatian modern art in the context of the European modern art. The President replied that Croatia was a part of Europe in that period as well. When some say, what we can hear every day, that we should come closer to Europe, we should tell them to come and see this exhibition and see for themselves that we are a part of Europe. After that, Tudjman toured the Croatian exhibition of works of art from 1898 at the Art Pavilion. This show, staged on December 15 last year, marked the 100th anniversary of the Pavilion. It featured almost all works of art that had been presented at the very first exhibition of the Pavilion for its ceremonial opening in 1898. The Pavilion's head, Lea Ukraincik, and the exhibition's authors Ivanka Reberski and Zlatko Kauzlaric Atac notified Tudjman about the history of the Pavilion and the value of exhibits. At the end, Tudjman went to the "Zvonimir" gallery which is holding a show of works of an eminent Croatian painter, Mladen Veza. The artist informed Tudjman about the creation of his paintings. Croatian President thanked Veza for this exceptional exhibition. Tudjman was also accompanied by his advisor on culture, Dasa Bradicic, Culture Minister Bozo Biskupic and Zagreb Mayor Marina Matulovic Dropulic. (hina) ms