Šibenik unveils art installation featuring a 300-kilogram book

The city seeks to celebrate the life and work of the famous botanist, Robert Visiani

During this time of the year, cities worldwide celebrate Advent by illuminating Christmas trees, putting up decorations, and installing festive stalls. The Croatian City of Šibenik, on the other hand, takes these celebrations a step further, holding “Adventure”: a zero-waste festival until January. 

As part of this celebration, local artists have collaborated with the municipality to unveil an impressive installation in honour of the famous botanist, naturalist, and scholar, Robert Visiani. 

A 300-kilogram installation

The installation “Visiani’s Time Machine” features a large open book with the title “Flora Dalmatica” – one of Visiani’s best-known works. This book is exceptionally large, measuring 2.80 by 2 metres alone. In addition to the “Flora Dalmatica”, the installation also consists of a tall quill and inkwell.  

Together, the whole installation weighs more than 300 kilograms. What is more, it has taken local artists 500 hours of work. Commenting on “Visiani’s Time Machine”, Mayor of Šibenik Željko Burić shared:

“It is impressive, through this installation connecting Robert Visiani, a medical student in love with botany and the City of Šibenik, and “Flora Dalmatica” – his life’s work that is a valuable contribution to European botany. This is one way for the visitors of our city to get to know Visiani, an important figure in the 19th-century natural science in Europe, who loved Šibenik all his life.”

To see photographs of the installation, view the gallery above.