34-year-old artist Tomislav Horvat has been creating spectacular sculptures from matches for over five years. This process requires a lot of time, persistence, effort, and patience. He often gets up at 4 a.m. and works on sculptures until 7 a.m., before heading off to work. Love for art was born when he was still a high school student studying civil engineering, and he continues to draw inspiration from various art history classes.
It all started with his fascination with the mosaic made of ceramics from the Italian Renaissance, which led him to explore the idea of creating three-dimensional objects from easily available materials like matches. At first, he created simple models of buildings and structures, but after five years, he wanted to challenge himself more. That’s when he began working on his first large-scale sculpture “The Godfather,” inspired by the film trilogy of the same name. He finished this piece in 2013 and installed over 117,000 matches into it, making it his largest work to date.
After completing “The Godfather,” Tomislav continued to create impressive sculptures that pay homage to various historical figures like Mozart (“The Pianist”) and Michelangelo (“The Creator”). Each piece is meticulously crafted using thousands of matches arranged in intricate patterns that bring each subject’s likeness to life. Despite the challenges involved in creating such massive works of art, Tomislav remains committed to continuing his exploration of new mediums and styles in future projects.
One particularly poignant work in Tomislav’s oeuvre is “Desperate,” which depicts a man on his knees with a suitcase by his side as he says goodbye to his family. This sculpture speaks directly to the issue of displacement and the search for safety that many people experience today.
Tomislav continues to push boundaries with each new project he undertakes, bringing creativity and innovation to every aspect of his work. His dedication and passion for art have earned him recognition as one of the most talented artists working today.
Overall, Tomislav Horvat’s work is truly unique and inspiring. From small models to massive sculptures, every piece reflects his commitment to exploring new ideas and pushing himself beyond what others thought was possible with matches as a medium.
“I have always loved drawing since I was a boy,” says Tomislav Horvat.” In high school we had art history as a subject that stimulated my curiosity about art.” It was during this time that Tomislav became fascinated by mosaics made from ceramics during the Italian Renaissance period.
Inspired by this discovery, Tomislav decided that he could make three-dimensional things out of matches – an easily accessible material for him at hand.
At first, he created simple models like buildings or churches but soon realized they were not challenging enough so he took up something much more demanding – creating large-scale sculptures using thousands upon thousands of carefully arranged matches.
His first major project was “The Godfather” which took two years from start