White Road: Waiting for the Rain
Agency
Studio Rašić
Practice Area
Client
Mediterranean Sculpture Symposium
Industry
Project Vision
The village of Dubrova in Labin, Croatia, has been the site of the Mediterranean Sculpture Symposium since 1970. The symposium originated as a celebration of the beauty of stone indigenous to the region, and the Dubrova Sculpture Park is home to more than 70 monumental outdoor sculptures as well as a unique land art project called White Road, conceived by sculpture symposium founder Josip Diminić.
White Road (Bijela cesta) is a 325-meter-long, 5-meter-wide road (1,066-ft.-long and 15-ft.-wide) divided into 13 sections created by different artists. The road creates a one-of-a-kind cultural space ideal for taking a walk, enjoying nature, and experiencing a unique visual experience.
The 13th section, created by Studio Rašić (Zagreb) in 2008, is called “Waiting for Rain.” It is made from 1,245 square blocks made of a highly polished limestone found in Kanfanar, Croatia. Eight hundred and six of the squares have cut-out circles positioned to spell out the words White Road (Bijela cesta).
Nature and weather are integral components of the installation. The cut-out circles form bowls that collect water, leaves, earth, and other gifts of nature, while also reflecting changes in nature, such as reflected images and light and shadows that change depending on the sun’s position throughout the day. The natural aging of the stone and the breath and spirit of the earth will also imbue the project with more charm over time.
Project Details
The strength of this entry is its elegance and simplicity. It makes a statement without over-thinking or trying too hard. It will only become more engaging and provocative over time as nature fills in the holes left by the designers.
A non-sculpture that is everything sculpture should be: a reflection of who we are, our impact on the world, and our constantly evolving interaction with nature—at a macro and micro scale simultaneously.
Design Team
Ante Rašić (author, creative director); Vedrana Vrabec, Marko Rašić (design collaborators)
Design Firm
Studio Rašić
Consultants
Mediterranean Sculpture Symposium Expert Council (Josip Diminić, Gorka Ostojić Cvajner, Slavko Baterić)
Fabricators
Graditeljstvo Jakovljević (limestone production)