AM Art: Mihael Banić: Through the Photo Lens of Nikola Šimić Tonin

Nikola Šimić-Tonin

Nikola Šimić Tonin excels in expressing his artistic spirit through photographs that showcase atmospheric perspectives of the sky and horizon, the warmth of the Dalmatian region and the sea, the intimacy and reality of village life, and the complexity of human portraits. Looking back at the author's photographs, it is impossible not to conclude that these pieces of art truly show an intimate inner perspective and the way the author observes the world.

When looking at his expression through photographs of the sky and horizon, which vary from the warm, saturated hues of the sunset, turbulent and dark horizons, and powerful grey-blue clouds of approaching storms all the way to the hazy and unclear horizons of the early morning, the viewer's attention is completely captured by looking at the author's magical way of presenting the world. The photographs within the listed categories provide unquestionable proof of Šimić Tonin's bold mastery of visual elements such as colour and composition while capturing the audience's attention with their uniqueness.

The author's artworks, which showcase the warmth and heat of the Dalmatian region through motifs such as pine trees, stone houses, waves, and the sea, faithfully and realistically evoke the coastal area. Šimić-Tonin successfully finds new perspectives and creates his own view of what the rest of Croatia calls Dalmatia, using visual elements such as texture and rhythm.

One of the most characteristic forms of the author's personal artistic expression is the attention that Šimić Tonin pays to portraying a certain perspective, including village life. In his effort, the author showcases the entirety of the rural region with all its recognisable features, such as elderly people, ancient buildings, and old objects. This totality of motifs ensures a diversity which draws the audience's attention to the author's artworks.

Nuanced and hazy photographs of human portraits give the author a specific and unique artistic expression of the human figure that is undeniably original in its entirety. The author's depictions of morning horizons are transferred to the human figure, which shows the artist's unquestionable talent and proves his dexterity in transferring his own techniques, characteristic of his artistic expression, to different motifs. With this move, Šimić Tonin successfully leaves an artistic legacy in the form of a unique imprint in the world of photography.