Peace and Goodwill from Visovac

Peace and Goodwill from Visovac
An exhibition of photographs by members of the Šibenik Photo Club featuring motifs from the island of Visovac was opened at the Skradinski buk waterfall

Although the view from the Imperial lookout point at Skradinski buk does not extend to Visovac, one can nonetheless still enjoy details of the mystic island in the Krka River: twelve photographs of the Island of Visovac, which were taken by members of the Šibenik Photo Club, are on exhibition as Visovac – Pax et bonum, on easels on the plateau of the Imperial lookout point. These are the works of long-term fans of the Krka River, who know well its habits, as can be seen in the photographs that show us Visovac in detail. The exhibition was placed in honour of the 4^th of October, the Day of St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order, but also the protector of animals, which is why the International Day of Animal Protection is also celebrated on the same date. The photographs can also be seen in a virtual exhibition on the official website of the Krka National Park.

Visovac, once called the White Rock (Lapis albus), is an island that rests in the peace of Visovac Lake. It is recognizable for the background view of tall Lombardy poplars that surround it. Visovac is cultivated as a monastery garden, with numerous decorative species. Birds and domestic animals dwell on it today, the most well known being the photogenic and colourful peacocks. Because of its specific position and meditative ambience, Visovac was first settled in the mid 14^th century by eremitics, hermits of the Order of St. Augustine. The Augustinians built a small monastery and church dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, of which the elements visible today include arched columns in the cloister and the crown of the well. When the Franciscans arrived on the island in the 15^th century, they built a new church in the Gothic style. The church was extended and renovated in the Baroque style at the end of the 17^th century. Another apse was added then, so it is a rare example of a church with two main altars in Croatian sacral architecture. The righ-hand apse contains a copy of the painting of Our Lady of Visovac, while the left has a Baroque wooden crucifix from the beginning of the 18^th century. The monastery collection houses numerous valuable objects, incunabula, and works of art. Visovac is a place of spirituality, peace, and prayer that is cherished by the Franciscans who live there. The welcome that greets those who set foot on the island is widely known.

The Šibenik Photo Club is a technical culture association involved in programs in the fields of photography, photographic, creativity, and photographic techniques. It is a member of the Croatian Photo Association. The first constituent assembly of the Club was held on April 24, 1964. Today the Šibenik Photo Club Danas includes some twenty experienced photographic amateurs and young enthusiasts, and their activities in the past seven years are best represented by fifty some exhibitions, both independently and as a club, and the numerous participation of its members in invitational exhibitions. During the half a century of continuous and successful activity in the field of creative photography, the members of the Šibenik Photo Club have recorded the history of their city with their photographs and presented it at exhibitions in the country and abroad, in this manner making a significant contribution to the cultural life of Šibenik.