Friends of Konavle
Year-end Report for 2024
The Friends of Konavle Heritage Association was founded at the end of 2023. Work on a website was begun shortly thereafter. The website is intended to be the main means of communication between the organization and the public.
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After receiving quotes from several professional website contractors, one of them was chosen and design and content of the website began. Translations into English were made, and the website was released to the public on 14 December 2024. It contains information and resources pertaining to the history and culture of Konavle, the organization’s projects, membership solicitation, and the donation process.
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Home Page in English
Home Page in Croatian
The largest part of the Association’s work in 2024 was the renovation of the Mijo Šiša Konavljanin Gallery in Mihanići, and the preservation of its contents. The Association concluded a Management Agreement with the heirs of the Gallery for the purpose of carrying out renovation work, and bringing the Gallery to the stage and condition necessary for public presentation.
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In January 2024, the Gallery roof was replaced. The old roof tiles were removed, insulation and new tiles were installed, and the old tiles were placed on top of the new, so that the appearance of the roof would not change. After replacing the roof, the Gallery no longer leaked, so the work inside could begin.
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Roof with tiles removed
Šiša Gallery with new roof
The gallery and the entire ethnographic collection, furniture and inventory were fumigated.
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Misc. objects of Šiša collection
Hand-carved head of gusle with inset photo of Miho Šiša, father of the painter
300 items of the ethnographic collection were inventoried and processed. A list of these items has been prepared for the protection proposal.
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Some of the objects inventoried from the Šiša collection
All the artworks of the Mijo Šiša Konavljanin collection were inventoried, and a list prepared for the protection proposal.
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Šisa painting - The Building of Dubrovnik
A geodetic survey of the Gallery and the terrain on which it is located was made with the aim of surveying its existing condition and evaluating the traditional complex.
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Aerial view of the Mijo Šiša property (on the right)
In December, the work of grouting the outside walls, repairing the floor, and plastering and painting the interior walls began.
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West entrance to Šiša Gallery
The Gallery room with new floor and new walls.
In addition to the works at the Gallery, the Friends of Konavle Heritage Association organized several public events where older women who live in Konavle gathered and had their conversations videod regarding traditional silk production in Konavle.
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Documenting embroidery workshop
A silk-making workshop for children
Several interviews and field trips were conducted to gather information about traditional life of Konavle.
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A workshop of women being interviewed about their experiences with silk production and embroidery
Throughout the year, old photos of Konavle were collected, processed and added to our collection.
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Examples of old photos that were collected
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