biography
All roads lead to art... Or begin with it. For artist Ivan Mestrovic, it is the path of a multidisciplinary personality taming the pure expression of his creativity.
Born 1979 in Croatia, Mestrovic is a worldwide based entrepreneur and creator who has always nurtured his vast interests in music, sports and architecture. During the 2020’s unprecedented pandemic times, he took advantage of the global confinement to reflect and devote himself to a passion he held on stand by for too long: Conceptual Art.
early years
Ivan Mestrovic was born in 1979 in Osijek, Croatia. He is the son of an entrepreneurial father and a lawyer mother who practiced painting as an amateur. His parents named him after his illustrious relative, the 20th century sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, known for being the most predilect Rodin student. Bathed in this artistic atmosphere, the young Ivan tried painting from the age of twelve, practicing spin-art. He created many series, but only kept a few of them. Very soon, entering his teenage years, other passions would quickly take over the plastic arts: music and sports.
In the 80s, while taking classical guitar lessons in his hometown's famous music school, he fell in love with the sound of electric guitars. The young Ivan copied the moves, notes, and tunes of his idols, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, and Chris Rea, playing their concerts over and over again on the family VCR. He developed a fascination for Fender Stratocasters, which he has been collecting up until today, putting together one of the biggest collections of artist signature editions.
His parents directed him to tennis, but he redirected himself to athletics. His body constitution and explosiveness made him one of the high-jump champions of his generation. Later, his active sportsman career transformed into sports business and management with no lesser success.
business life
After finishing high school, he enrolled at the University of Zagreb to study Law and started his entrepreneurial career at an early age. He co-founded a logistics start-up company, which he sold to an international investment fund in 2008, before moving to Dubai and embarking on other international entrepreneurial ventures that brought him even more success.
During this period, Ivan Mestrovic expressed his creativity through his personal projects. He expressed his ideas on design and architecture through buildings such as ‘The White House Villa’ and, more recently, the ‘Villa Borelli’ resort complex that he restored and reimagined over a period of 3 years. This unique and historic villa is about to reopen as a luxury hotel, including its contemporary installation park, a seed of the ‘Ivan Mestrovic Foundation’.
From 2018, he collaborated with Sasga Yachts on the design of two yachts, the ‘BRMM BRMM’ and the ‘BORELLI’; projects which he worked on with great joy, while taking care of the smallest details.
But his greatest achievement in architecture will always be the ‘Pampas Football Stadium’ in Osijek, which, based on his idea, seems to land on the city like a UFO. The stadium was built during his presidency/co-ownership of the famous Croatian ‘Football Club Osijek’ between 2016 and 2020. This is his tribute to his birthplace city, but hopefully not his last one.
artist life
Today, Ivan creates in his ArtLabs, which are located in Monaco, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, and Croatia. These are the places where he can invent and conceptualise works that push the limits of physics. His inspiration comes from the world and its wonders, and the intricate stories that his creations can convey. His first permanent exhibitions are featured in Dubai (2023) and Monaco (2024), while his Mestrovic Foundation creations, selected pieces from his body of work, not available for purchase, will be located in the stunning surroundings of "Villa Borelli" in Lukoran, on the Croatian island of Ugljan.
