Matko Vekić was born in Zagreb in 1970, where he also graduated in Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1995, in the class of Prof. Đuro Seder. To date, he has participated in numerous group exhibitions and over 50 solo exhibitions, including several monographic shows: 2005 – “Animal Circle – Zodiac” at the Art Pavilion, 2008 – “Symbol, Sign, Emblem, Ornament and Crime” at the Glyptotheque of HAZU, 2010 – “The Cruelty of the Circle” at HDLU in the Bačva Gallery, 2016 – “Orientalization” at the Museum of Arts and Crafts, 2019 – “Doubts and Complementarities” at Lauba, and 2021 – “Archipelago” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb. He has represented Croatia twice in Cairo, in 2006 at the 10th and in 2010 at the 12th International Biennale, as well as in Venice in 2009 at the 53rd International Biennale. Vekić has received multiple awards, including the Grand Prix Slavko Kopač at the 6th Painting Biennale and the State Vladimir Nazor Award for the Best Exhibition (2022). His works are part of the collections of prominent Croatian museums and galleries, as well as private collections in Croatia and abroad. Since 2017, he has been a full professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and is a member of HDLU (Croatian Association of Artists).
Matko Vekić is one of the most significant and influential representatives of contemporary Croatian painting, whose work has shaped and marked the local art scene for more than three decades. His painting is recognizable for its energetic, expressive gesturality and pronounced materiality of color, as well as for striking color solutions, ranging from rich and intense tones to calmer shades that create harmonious relationships. Diverse compositions, layered planes, and an informelist approach to surface treatment reflect his ongoing desire to explore the boundaries of the painting medium. His unique and recognizable artistic language strongly conveys the spirit of the times, while his oeuvre, sometimes closer to abstraction and sometimes clearly figurative, opens space for new interpretations and contemporary dialogues.
In his work, Vekić continuously changes and expands his choice of motifs, which often carry socio-critical meaning, with each new cycle bringing novelty and surprise. The Image from the Background cycle is dedicated to the hardworking, tireless, and colorful fast-food delivery workers who increasingly populate the gray streets of European cities. Through these works, he portrays not only the daily dynamic rhythm of food delivery and vibrant kitchen scenes but also a broader social picture of the accelerated pace of life, the transformation of urban landscapes, and the subtle interweaving of different cultures in city environments.
The Archipelago cycle, on the other hand, presents a striking story of the Mediterranean landscape, ancient pine trees, and their survival against the onslaught of human intervention—a conscious reflection on environmental destruction. This cycle is a homage to nature, its grandeur, and the endless abundance it provides. Vekić uses acrylic paint on wooden panels, where he achieves heightened surface relief by sanding pigment mixed with filler, creating powerful visual effects.
Vekić’s artistic maturity is further confirmed with each new cycle; his paintings reflect inexhaustible energy, intellectual curiosity, and a rare ability to transform seemingly simple and everyday scenes into visually powerful and striking works. Matko Vekić thus establishes himself as an artist of exceptional creative strength and wide-ranging oeuvre, whose work transcends local boundaries and occupies a relevant place in the broader context of contemporary art, while remaining an indispensable figure in Croatian painting.
2013. Rijeka, Gallery Kortil, The Magnetic Burden of Time
Poreč, Gallery Zuccato
2012. Zagreb, Gallery Kranjčar, Ordinary people – Inner happenings
2010. Zagreb, HDLU Gallery Bačva, The cruelty of the circle
Vicenza, Yvonneartecontemporanea, La gravita del tempo
2008. Zagreb, Gliptoteka HAZU, Symbol, sign, emblem, ornament and crime
Zagreb, Cages, Gallery Canvas
2005. Zagreb, Umjetnički paviljon, The animal circle –the zodiac circle
2003. Split, Art Gallery
Dubrovnik, Gallery Sebastian
2001. Zagreb, Studio Josip Račić
BiH,Sarajevo, Gallery Novi hram
2000. BiH, Ljubuški, Art Gallery TMT
1999. Zagreb, Gallery Karas
1998. Zagreb, Gallery Galženica
Zagreb, Gallery CEKAO
1997. Zagreb, Gallery Matice hrvatske
1996. Zagreb, Gallery NOVA
BiH, Mostar, Art Gallery
Group Exhibitions
2016. Maringer Galerie, Sankt Poelten, Austrija “Junge Kunst aus Kroatien”
2015. ArtDepot, Innsbruck
‘The Mask of God’s Image
2013. Leipzig, One-sided Story
Zagreb, Biennale of painting
2011. Cairo 12th Cairo Int. Biennale
Berlin, Preview Berlin – The Emerging Art
Istambul, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Trans-Form in Art Education
Sofija, Trans-Form in Art Education
2009. Venezia, 53. Int. Biennale, ”Dead in Venice or life trough 12 images”
2006. Cairo,10th Cairo Int. Biennale
London, Zagreb, Unframed Landscapes
2003. Lissone, Civica Galleria d’ Arte Contemporanea,
Premio Lissone
2003. Paris, Grands et jeunes d’Aujourd’hui
Art Colonies and Sabbaticals
2013 Leipzig, One-sided Story
2007. India ( Karnataka, Rajasthan)
2006. Slovenija, Kopar
2004. India ( Dehli, Chennai, Mombai )
2003. Mađarska, Tallya, Central European art camp
2001. Turska, Istambul,PI Atworks,Balkan art 2001
1998. Japan (Tokyo,Kyoto,Shizuoka)
Bugarska, Varna, Balkan Art 99
Awards
2003. Italy, Lissone, Premio Lissone 03
Zagreb , Annual award Filip-Trade for contemporary art
2001. Zagreb, Annual award of Croatian Artists Association, young artist
Art Fairs
2015. Vienna Art Fair, HO Gallery
2015. Affordable Art Fair, Milano, Zen Contemporary Art Gallery