Interview with Ivan Fijolić, Sculptor of Stolen Bruce Lee Statue

The Bruce Lee sculpture in Zrinjevac Park, Mostar, has recently been stolen, leaving only the pedestal and a wooden pallet with wheels that were presumably used for its transportation. The sculpture, which had already been damaged and restored in the past, was installed in the park in 2005. The news of its installation made headlines around the world, even appearing on CNN due to its universal appeal.

The bronze sculpture was created by Ivan Fijolić, a Zagreb-based sculptor who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb under the supervision of Professor Miro Vuco. Fijolić also earned his Ph.D. on the topic of pedestals in sculpture. One of his exhibitions that is still considered provocative was held in 2012 at Lauba, titled "Neo N.O.B.". This exhibition raised questions about our destructive attitude towards sculptural heritage, specifically the 3000 monuments from the People's Liberation War. At that exhibition, we saw Bruce Lee, but in a version covered in pink glaze.

Since its inception, the Bruce Lee sculpture in Mostar has provoked reactions and become a symbol of the city's cultural heritage. Its disappearance has left many residents and art lovers deeply concerned. The City of Mostar and the Municipal Utility Company of Mostar have denied any involvement in the sculpture's removal for restoration. Residents of a nearby family home have reported that the sculpture was there the day before and disappeared overnight, leading to speculation about who might be responsible for its theft.

The author of the sculpture and the people of Mostar hope that the stolen sculpture will be found and not end up like old bronze. Its disappearance raises important questions about the protection and preservation of cultural heritage in the region. The Bruce Lee sculpture was a unique and important part of Mostar's artistic and cultural landscape, and its theft is a great loss to the city and its people.

The theft of the Bruce Lee sculpture is a significant loss to the city of Mostar and its people. The sculpture, which had become a symbol of the city's cultural heritage, was a unique and important part of Mostar's artistic and cultural landscape. Its disappearance raises important questions about the protection and preservation of cultural heritage in the region, and its recovery is crucial for the city's future.

The day after the theft, we spoke with the author of the sculpture, Ivan Fijolić.

Endemic: I don't know where to start, but the information about the theft of the work was certainly shocking news to me, and I immediately had a thousand questions. The first thing that came to mind was how you, as an artist, felt when you found out about the theft. It was not the first attempted theft, but this time it was accomplished. Could you please just briefly tell us a bit more about the first attempt?

Ivan: Well, I don't know much about those previous theft attempts and damage, considering that the sculpture was placed geographically far from my place of residence. A lot of details were not communicated to me by the City administration, even after the first theft attempt, I was not informed in detail. I was also not consulted about the details of the restoration of the work.

The morning after the sculpture was stolen my phone rang and they asked: "Do you know that Bruce Lee was stolen?" I said what? I have no idea… Strangely and bizarrely, I was somehow even glad this had happened. I was glad that the story ended, and that they succeeded. This sculpture was installed in 2005. and on the very first day, it got damaged. Someone damaged it and stole his nunchaku, I guess someone stole it as a souvenir. When we were setting it up, out of 200 people who passed by, 30 of them said the sculpture wouldn't last a week. This was said even before we installed it. After 111 days someone tried to pull it out, but they didn't succeed. I don't know if it was a prank, or if someone wanted to earn from selling the raw material, the bronze sculpture was made of.

It didn't surprise me, but I'm sorry because that has happened. This sculpture was a living part of Mostar, so many people would take photos with that sculpture, I don't know if there was any sculpture people took more photos within the last 20 years. I feel sorry for all those generations who loved Bruce Lee and who lived that life, as I lived it in the eighties, and I feel sorry for those kids whose parents passed on the legend of Bruce Lee, who was a world phenomenon. In that sense, I am truly sorry for the theft. I hope the sculpture is in someone's collection, and not cut into pieces. I hope that now someone from the City Administration will understand that this is the point and that it is one of the symbols of Mostar. I would like for it to be reinstalled there and protected in some way.

Endemic: I'm very interested in how and why someone would plan to do something like that. What was the logistics and planning process behind the action, I mean it's a sculpture weighing 250 kilograms and it was located in a busy area, surely not just one person was involved. Did they plan this at home over beers and popcorn, how did they plan and execute it? Were they angry, or was it some kind of dare, did they find it amusing?

Ivan: You know how it goes, a heist is either planned or spontaneous, but I doubt in this case it was spontaneous, I think it was carefully planned.

Endemic: But let's put jokes aside for a moment, I'm interested in the motives behind the theft of that sculpture. Yes, it's possible that it was for financial and economic reasons, that the perpetrators recognized the value of the raw material. Another possibility is that it was stolen because someone wanted it as a part of their private collection, which I can also imagine, and I understand that would be your favorite option. However, another possible reason comes to mind. I remembered Ivan Kožarić's sculpture "Grounded Sun" while the basket was placed in its original position. That work, with its shiny surface, really "provoked" and elicited numerous reactions from passers-by. That sculpture was damaged many times, until it was eventually set on fire. Do you think the Bruce Lee sculpture and its also shiny surface provoked someone?

Ivan: Definitely. The surface of the sculpture was extremely polished, giving it that shiny effect. It shone just like Bruce Lee's personality, and that, it seems to me, provokes reactions, often divided. Either you love it, or you despise it because others love it. Because, you know, when something shines, it catches the eye. And now, what shines, you may like or it may bother you. When we compare it with people, we often see how people who "shine," whether in character or decked out, provoke reactions, most often hateful ones, most often expressed from the safety of home where no one can see them or without revealing identity. It's in all of us, this paradox that you like something on one hand, and yet it bothers you. Near Bruce Lee were other sculptures, but you see, as they sparkled, they broke and damaged on the very first day. It's a shame; it wasn't a bad sculpture, I think it was decent. Not the best, but it was solid.

Endemic: Have you ever experienced anything similar with any of your other works, positive or negative?

Ivan: As much as we might have now put perhaps an accent on the reactions of people who maybe didn't like my work, there are indeed a large number of people who love and live with my public sculptures. For example, some have become a toponym and when people order a taxi, operators' location system would offer them my public sculpture as a pick-up option. Of course, we could now also open the question of WWII monuments (monuments dedicated to the National Liberation Struggle in Croatia, from 1941 to 1945, as well as national heroes and prominent members of the National Liberation Movement), when three and a half thousand sculptures from that period disappeared or were melted down. Some were blown up, but most were melted down. Some really good sculptures, with the blessing of politicians, were melted down and new works were made from them. Those new works did not possess artistic value. I'm not speaking or... I am less interested at this moment in defending the political messages original melted and damaged sculptures carried. What bothers me is that those artistic works, the mastery, and the artistic and intellectual strength, were negated. We negated our heritage. I am bothered by the fact we destroyed our artistic heritage, and the artistic and intellectual strength. Here we could continue the story by talking about the "purge" of any sculpture from the history of art for political reasons, we could talk about the hunt for monuments in NY.

Endemic: I once dealt with the topic of the inappropriateness of monuments, working through my art practice and a research paper at CSM in London. I was interested in how some artworks and public sculptures, besides their artistic quality (or lack thereof), also embody other values. Some become toponyms and mark specific geographical locations; many reflect ideologies and often are connected with the deep emotions of people. For example, Bruce Lee was placed in a politically quite turbulent and tense terrain, where tensions between two nations almost thirty years after the war finished have not yet subsided. And then you have that shining, fearless Bruce Lee, who was chosen precisely because of his universal appeal. He was an icon recognized worldwide, transcending all cultural, religious, and ethnic boundaries. He was someone who managed to break through all barriers with his personality, talent, and philosophy. Bruce Lee's philosophy, especially his famous quote "Be water, my friend," speaks volumes about adaptability, resilience, and overcoming obstacles. He became a symbol of unity and the fight against division because he fought against various forms of discrimination throughout his life. His appeal was universal.

Ivan: You know what? Yes, the sculpture was placed there to connect the unconnectable. Someone's happiness sometimes provokes someone else's misery, and to rejoice in someone else's happiness, seems to be a quality.

Endemic: Can you highlight some examples of interactions with public sculptures that may be somewhat invasive but you find partly interesting and creative?

Ivan: For example, the case of the Discobolus in Zagreb, whose testicles are painted every Easter. There are also stories from Eastern Europe where communist sculptures were painted as superheroes. There's also the case where Lenin was transformed into Darth Vader in a way that the sculpture underneath was not damaged; in that way, they prevented the demolition of those monuments. That's a great interaction; you can think what you want, but it is an expression of some kind of creativity.

Endemic: And finally, what do you think, will the sculpture be found and returned to its original location, and what do you think is the future of public sculptures in our region?

Ivan: I sincerely hope that the sculpture will be found and returned to its rightful place in Mostar. It's important not just as a piece of art but as a symbol of unity and the fight against ethnic divisions. The theft of the Bruce Lee sculpture is a reminder of the challenges faced by public art in our region. Public sculptures are vulnerable to vandalism, theft, and other forms of disrespect. However, I believe in the power of art to inspire and bring people together. We must continue to support and protect public art as a vital part of our cultural heritage and as a means of promoting understanding and tolerance. The future of public sculptures in our region depends on our collective effort to appreciate, respect, and preserve these important symbols of our shared identity and values.