Nikolina Rodić Grgac

Nikolina Rodić Grgac started her artistic journey, without realizing that at the time, while working with textile materials in the fashion industry. From tactile textile, Nikolina moved to digital design and worked on mobile and web applications.

Leaving transient worlds of fashion and mobile applications, in 2017 she graduated from the “Public open University Zagreb, Ceramics, glass & porcelain art” and started experimenting with clay and porcelain clay combining it with other materials.

Nikolina finds her main source of inspiration in nature and lace capturing its fragility in eternal clay. She is led by the thought “The world is in the eyes of the observer”, whatever she creates, it becomes reality only when someone looks at it.

The second source of inspiration Nikolina finds in human relationships and people interacting with each other. Those interactions are represented through decorated faces silhouettes that depict thoughts as a starting point of communication.

She had independent exhibition in Czech Republic and has participated in many group exhibitions, some of them being exhibition in Castellamonte’s Mostra della Ceramica in Italy 2019. and 2021., Ex Terra Krško in Slovenian 2019. and 2020., XV Bienale Internationale Aveiro 2021, Aveiro, Portugal and many group exhibitions in Zagreb and Varaždin in Croatia.

Nikolina creates installations and sculptures that are usually wall or table mounted. She is a member of Croatian Association of Artists of Applied Arts (ULUPUH). Lives and creates in Zagreb, Croatia.

Artist statement

The “Pebbles” series represents a delicate fusion of tradition and freedom, expressed through minimalist yet profoundly meaningful pebble forms. Each pebble is handcrafted in various sizes and shades of clay, intricately adorned with lace motifs. Lace, as a traditional element, symbolizes the enduring influence of culture and heritage that shapes our identities. These motifs evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia, connecting us to the past and the people who have molded our lives.

However, the lace-decorated pebbles also serve as a metaphor for individuals who, while deeply valuing and respecting their roots, seek the freedom to navigate life unbound by the limitations that tradition can sometimes impose. My works invite the observer to contemplate the balance between honoring heritage and embracing personal freedom, while also appreciating the beauty found in simplicity and naturalness.

My works in collaboration with Danijel Pičuljan emphasize the importance of preserving tradition and respecting the natural world, offering insight into the symbiosis between natural elements and human creativity