Ernestinovo: središte naivne skulpture

The monograph Ernestinovo: A Center of Naïve Sculpture by the distinguished Osijek-based historian Dr. Zlata Živaković-Kerže is a thorough and exceptionally valuable work dedicated to one of the most recognizable cultural and artistic phenomena of Slavonia and Croatia. In this book, the author provides a scholarly and systematic account of the history, origins, and development of Ernestinovo as a globally renowned hub of naïve wood sculpture—a tradition established with the founding of the famous Sculpture Colony in 1973. The work offers a detailed analysis of the distinctive artistic expression of self-taught sculptors who, drawing inspiration from the Slavonian village, daily life, customs, and nature, created an authentic and impressive body of work in oak. Živaković-Kerže traces not only the artistic and aesthetic evolution of the sculptures and the artists themselves but also the broader social, cultural, and local context in which Ernestinovo grew into a distinctive artistic oasis. The book also covers difficult chapters in the village's history—particularly the suffering and destruction endured during the Homeland War—as well as the post-war reconstruction and the continuation of the colony’s activities. This work stands as an essential resource for understanding Croatian naïve art and serves as an enduring testament to the cultural identity of Ernestinovo.