Mia Akrap
Mia Akrap (b. 1995, Požega) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 2020, where she enrolled in a postgraduate program in 2023. Her practice is grounded primarily in ceramics and painting. She explores themes of identity, personal and collective experience, transformation, transgenerational memory, and archetypal patterns.
She has exhibited her work in solo or group contexts at the National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb (2025), Youth Salon at the Archaeological Museum, Zagreb (2024), the Biennale of Painting at the Meštrović Pavilion, Zagreb (2023), Kazamat Gallery, Osijek (2023), Poola Gallery, Pula (2023), Karas Hub, Zagreb (2022), SC Gallery, Zagreb (2021), and Lauba – House for People and Art, Zagreb (2019).
She is the recipient of several awards, including the Biennale of Painting Award (2023), the “Collector to Artist” Award at the 36th Youth Salon (2022), and the Audience Award at the 16th Erste Fragments (2020). She participated in residencies in France, Germany, and Lithuania, as well as an Erasmus+ professional placement in Germany.
Her works are part of the collection of the National Museum of Modern Art in Zagreb and various private collections. She lives and works in Zagreb.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026 Obale rijeke Styx (sa Šimunom Tolićem), Canvas Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2026 Stronger Than Bone, Trotoar, Zagreb, Croatia
2025 Fresh Perspectives (with Carolina Barbarić and Mia Markušić), Zen Contemporary Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2023 The Garden of Beasts (with Grgur Akrap), Poola Gallery, Pula, Croatia
2023 Nature and Society (with Manuela Pauk and Ana Ratković Sobota), Kazamat Gallery, Osijek, Croatia
2023 Burafest (with Tara Beata Racz), Church of St. George, Pag, Croatia
2023 O/Memories (with Ivana Pipal and Borna Ivanuša), Gallery of Art “Branislav Dešković”, Bol (Brač), Croatia
2023 The Unpredictability of Curiosity, Zlati Ajngel Gallery, Varaždin, Croatia
2022 Memory Studies, Crta Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 Hide-and-Seek II, Light Gallery and Tunnel Gallery, GKPŽ, Požega, Croatia
2022 Hide-and-Seek, Karas Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2020 ALU in the Bunker II (with Agata Lučić), Bunker Youth Center, Samobor, Croatia
2020 New Collection, Šira Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 In Front of the Playground – Pass It On: Mia Matijević; Age of Narcissus, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025/2026 8th Painting Biennale, Sermage Palace – GMV Fine Arts Gallery, Varaždin; Klovićevi Dvori Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2025 9, Group Ceramics Exhibition, Razvid Gallery, PUO Zaprešić, Croatia
2025 Nesvrstani, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
2025 Y-Z, Construction Site of a New Generation, Oktogon – National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2025 Shades of Shooks, HAGD Contemporary, Aalborg, Denmark
2024 Situation, 37th Youth Salon, Archaeological Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2024 Bright Light, HAGD Contemporary, Aalborg, Denmark
2023 7th Painting Biennial, Meštrović Pavilion, Zagreb, Croatia
2023 Nesvrstani, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
2023 They Are Here, Vinkovci, Croatia
2023 Faces – Silhouettes – Bodies, Vladimir Bužančić Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 I’m Laughing… LMHO, Museum of Contemporary Art (MSU), Zagreb, Croatia
2022 The Future Is Not What You Expected, Putolovac Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 Art Zagreb, Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 Festival of World Literature, Meštrović Pavilion, Bačva Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 Annual Exhibition of HDLU Members (invited artist), Meštrović Pavilion, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 9th Watercolor Triennial, “Vjekoslav Karas” Gallery, Karlovac; Meštrović Pavilion, PM Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 36th Youth Salon – Parasites, Meštrović Pavilion, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 Wide Eye, SC Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 L’arte dei Bumbari Festival, Vodnjan, Croatia
2021 Nesvrstani, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
2021 Art Against Fear, Šira Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2021 Pop-up Exhibition as part of Kontraposto presentation, Kamba, Zagreb, Croatia
2021 Biennial of the Independents, Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2021 Matrices: Botany, SC Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2021 Art Zagreb, Hall V, Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2021 6th Painting Biennial, Meštrović Pavilion, Zagreb, Croatia
2020 Annual Exhibition of HDLU Members (invited artist), Croatian Association of Visual Artists (HDLU), Zagreb, Croatia
2020 Art Zagreb, Hall V, Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2020 Festival of World Literature, Šira Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2020 Erste Fragments, Audience Award, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
2020 Venientes (award-winning graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts), 35th Youth Salon, Šira Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Gandhi, Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Animus, Old City Hall, Split, Croatia
2019 Portal of Good News, Panacea Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Art Zagreb, Hall V, Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Nesvrstani, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Požart X, Ciraki Gallery, Požega, Croatia
2019 8th Watercolor Triennial, Gallery of the City of Slavonski Brod; Karlovac City Museum; Mimara Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Festival of World Literature, Josip Račić Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Visual Arts Residencies Exhibition, Ars et Mundus Gallery, Kaunas, Lithuania
ALU Trans, LU Gallery, Gospić, Croatia
2019 Demiurge / Only Once the First Time, Hall V, Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Pay and Take, Croatian Association of Visual Artists (HDLU), Zagreb, Croatia
2018 Festival of World Literature, Josip Račić Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2018 21st International Miniature Exhibition, Vršilnica, Zaprešić, Croatia
2018 9th Zaprešić Watercolor Biennial, Razvid Gallery, Zaprešić, Croatia
2018 Pay and Take, Croatian Association of Visual Artists (HDLU), Zagreb, Croatia
2018 Passion Heritage, Šira Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2018 Passion Heritage, Josip Račić Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2017 20th International Miniature Exhibition, Novi Dvori, Zaprešić, Croatia
2017 Days of Botanical Illustration and Art, Botanical Garden Pavilion (Faculty of Science) and Laval Nugent Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2017 DA! Festival, Faculty of Architecture, Zagreb, Croatia
2017 Rijeka Mini Art, Julije Klović Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
Selected Press
Ceramics Now. “Mia Akrap: Stronger Than Bone at TROTOAR Gallery, Zagreb” Exhibitions. 2026 [Link]
Vizkultura. Despot, Karla. “Između memorije, materijala i osobne mitologije”. Interview. 2026 [Link]
Contemporary Lynx. Sukhai, Timika. “Mia Akrap. Genealogies of Form and Memory.” Artist in Focus. 2026. [Link]
Journal.hr Petrović, Martina. “Ime koje vrijedi pratiti: Mia Matijević Akrap – vodimo vas u intimni svijet njezine umjetnosti.” 2025. [Link]
Gloria Glam. “Pravi umjetnik uvijek je u neraskidivoj vezi sa svojom umjetnošću.” Interview. 2022. [Link]
Glas Slavonije. “Bavila sam se vlastitim sjećanjima i sjećanjima žena iz cijelog svijeta.” 2024. [Link]
Kulturflux. “Vizitka 3: Mia Matijević Akrap.” Interview. 2023. [Link]
Publications
Franceschi, Branko. Šimić, Lorena. Acquisitions I Donations. 2020-2025. 120 Years of NMMU. Exhibition catalogue. Zagreb: National Museum of Modern Art, 2025.
Radman, Marta (curator). Mia Matijević Akrap in Y–Z New – Generation Construction Site. Group exhibition (catalog text). Zagreb: Oktogon – National Museum of Modern Art, 2025.
Rupnik, Leopold. Mia Matijević Akrap: Memory Studies (Studije sjećanja). Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Galerija Crta (CKIM)- 2022.
Šarčević, Nevenka. Mia Matijević Akrap: Hide-and-Seek (Igra skrivača). Solo exhibition. Zagreb: Galerija Karas / Croatian Association of Artists (HDLU). 2022.
Šarčević, Nevenka. Mia Matijević Akrap: Nepredvidivost znatiželje. Solo exhibition. Varaždin: Galerija Zlati Ajngel. 2023.
Vuković, Tino; Damjanović, Jasna. Ivana Pipal / Mia Matijević Akrap / Borna Ivanuša: O/sjećanja. Group exhibition. Bol (Brač): Galerija umjetnina “Branislav Dešković”. 2023.
Šarčević, Nevenka. Mia Matijević Akrap & Grgur Akrap: The Garden of Beasts (Vrt zvijeri). Duo exhibition. Pula: Galerija Poola. 2023.
7th Biennial of Painting (7. Bijenale slikarstva). Group exhibition. Zagreb: Croatian Association of Artists (HDLU), 2024.
{{title}}
Everything For Him
The Role You Play
Garden / Bašča
Earthly Delights #2
Studies of Memory
Stronger Than Bone Series - Spring of Phantoms
Stronger Than Bone Series - Interwoven
Stronger Than Bone Series - #1
Stronger Than Bone Series - #2
Stronger Than Bone Series - #3
Stronger Than Bone Series - #6
Stronger Than Bone Series - #8
Stronger Than Bone Series - Spring of Abundance
Stronger Than Bone Series - The Siren and the Serpent relief
Stronger Than Bone Series - #11
Stronger Than Bone Series - #10
Stronger Than Bone Series - The Fountain of Phantoms relief
Stronger Than Bone Series - At a Trot relief
Stronger Than Bone Series - The Siren and the Serpent painting
Stronger Than Bone Series - Rider of the Night Moth painting
