The days of chocolate and coffee will bring together almost 50 exhibitors from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Italy, and visitors will be able to enjoy artisan and craft chocolatiers, specialty roasters, world brands from the coffee segment, confectionery manufacturers, handmade natural cocoa-based cosmetics and coffee, creative and musical workshops for children.
As part of the event, there will also be an artistic performance by academic sculptor dr.art. Petar Popijač, who creates sculptures from massive blocks of chocolate. Three chocolate sculptures made by Dr. Petar Popijač, with the support of Barry Callebaut, will be offered at an auction through the partner platform www.aukcije.hr until March 14, 2023, and all proceeds will be paid to the Solidarna Foundation, while the partners donate their involvement.
One of the chocolate sculptures that Dr. Art Petar Popijač will make is “Nest”, the purchase of which will support the work of the Desa and Jerko Baković Fund to support the education of poor children and young people.
“The sculpture represents a nest with eggs. Each blade of grass is carefully folded into a soft and warm structure that houses a new generation of birds. As a statue, the nest becomes a symbol of a warm parental home full of love, attention, care and concern for the future generation, so that the growth and zest for life unfold in the best possible way. The chocolate nest is a symbol of unconditional and unlimited love that should be given to each new generation so that they themselves can one day build the world on the basis of love and peace,” the author points out.
The chocolate sculpture “Covered Face” is a statue depicting a multitude of palms that almost completely cover the face. The purchase of this sculpture finances the work of the Women’s Fund of the SOLIDARNA Foundation, which aims to build a community where equality is our reality.
“Under the palms, only the eyes of the face with a downcast gaze are visible. The person under the palms is restrained by many prohibitions and restrictions. The environment she lives in does not allow her to fully express herself or act. The desire for individual progress has not disappeared, but due to pressure from the environment, a person almost gives up his ambitions and human rights. The work warns of the still-current problems of repression, alienation and denial of freedom of expression, which are more bitter than cocoa powder,” says Dr. Art Petar Popijač about the sculpture “Covered Face”.
The third sculpture that the sculptor will create from chocolate is “Embrace”.
“The sculpture consists of two human figures united into an inseparable whole. Mother and child in each other’s arms complement each other perfectly in love and joy. With full attention, the mother hugs the child protectively, gives him a kiss, and he is completely immersed in a sense of security and soft sleep, giving unconditional love to his mother as she does to him. The only thing sweeter than the best chocolate is the timeless, innocent and perfect love of a mother and child,” explains the author, Dr. Art Petar Popijač. The purchase of this sculpture finances the program of the Foundation Solidarna Culture in the community, which is focused on cultural creativity, which promotes the values of human rights and solidarity.
All visitors have the opportunity to see the creation of chocolate sculptures, exhibited finished specimens, and participate in the auction for them.
“We are glad that the Chocolate Museum recognized the importance of the work of our funds and decided to organize an auction for the benefit of the SOLIDARNA Foundation. We are looking forward to seeing the process of making sculptures out of chocolate, which will be made by Dr. Art Petar Popijač, and whose messages are related to the work of our Women’s Fund, the Desa and Jerko Baković Fund, and the Culture in the Community program. We believe that the auction will be successful, to the benefit of all our users”, points out Ivan Blažević, manager of the SOLIDARNA Foundation.
Tickets
For the Days of Chocolate and Coffee event, adult visitors pay a ticket price of EUR 3.00, while children under 18 enter for free. The ticket also guarantees access to 19 demonstrated workshops, working with chocolate, making cosmetics based on coffee and cocoa, latte art on coffee, hand-made pralines and a ten-minute chocolate tasting), pop-up exhibitions of the Zagreb Chocolate Museum at 15 points in the Family mall, viewing of the artistic performance of the academic sculptor..)
See you at Family Mall and at aukcije.hr!
Cover photo: Chocolate Museum, last year’s Chocolate and Coffee Days
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