Lavina’s reaction caused Lupine’s idea that his already second sculpture, which he intends to give to his hometown, was placed on the site of a partisan monument in front of Villa Bedekovic. The administration of the town of Varaždin was closed for official comment.
Considering the reaction of the public and the manifestation of the City of Varaždin, which states that the city administration and the mayor have nothing to do with this initiative, nor were they acquainted with it at all, we asked Lupina to explain his idea. In a telephone conversation, he told us that he was not a “right-winger”. Moreover, he is “generally not interested” in politics.
“Everyone who knows me knows this, and because of this, I am surprised by negative reactions. It’s incredible how much we are a politicized society! I continue to argue that this monument has no artistic value, regardless of its symbolic and historical significance. However, it’s only about my idea, the proposal … Ustasha and Partisans have to stop, the division … Two years ago, I presented the “Croatian dialogue” to talk about this”, Lupino says. “I’m in an uncomfortable position”
He also sent us photographs from the exhibition he mentions, which depict his painting of the symbol of totalitarian regimes. Categorically, on the other hand, he claims that he did not talk about this with anyone from the city administration, nor with the mayor Ivan Cehok, who, as he says, is extremely appreciative:
“Because of the people who see something negative in everything, I am now placed in an unfavorable position towards the people from the city of Varazdin and the Mayor who has an interest in art. He has always come out to meet me so far. I repeat, this was my idea born in an informal society, in which there was no one from the city administration. There I went to school”, continues an upset Lupino.
He notes that the same discussion took place about the Capuchin Square or the position of the White Horse. According to the idea this morning – when his sculpture came in front of Villa Bedekovic, the monument to a Partisan fighter would have been transferred to the Varaždin Memorial cemetery to the Partisans, which this artist finds more appropriate.
“In the end, the Varaždins decide, and as for the monument to the WWII fighter, it is now neglected. It needs to be renovated and given a more convenient setting. Give it a point of importance, and use my sculpture to aid tourism”, concludes Lupino who knows how to raise the image of his artistic work.
