Tomislav Marcijuš is an internationally awarded photographer based in Croatia. Contemporary and documentary photographer was born in Osijek in 1990. and grew up in Darda, Baranja. After graduating from the Construction School, he started experimenting with film and analog cameras. After five years, his hobby turned into a business, and he launched his brand, Marcijuš Weddings (later Marcijuš Studio). As a creative person, he photographs digitally and on film. Analog photography made it possible to discover his style and apply it to weddings and other types of photography. His love for art led him to an artistic and creative way of documenting your special day. He wants to show weddings in the world in his own way and apply everything that shaped him in his life.
He grew up on Western culture, MTV and Viva TV, skate culture, and the alternative influence of the 90s. This is where the love for music festivals around Europe. Through growing up and internet research, he discovered various names from the cinema industry that inspired him, such as Andrei Tarkovsky and Wong Kar Wai. Various painters are a great inspiration to many artists. Still, the collages they created are especially dear to him, like the works of Joan Miro, Henri Matisse, Max Ernst, and Barbara Kruger. Photographers who influenced his work are Ernst Haas, Inge Morath, Dora Maar, Luigi Ghirri, and Man Ray.
Over the past eight years, Tomislav has captured wedding moments in England, Spain, the USA, Italy, Portugal, France, Greece, and neighboring countries.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
I spent my childhood in the eastern part of Croatia, in a small place where life moves slowly, where you feel carefree and nostalgic for everything a person leaves behind or loses there. My photographs and overall creativity inevitably reflect these feelings in a timeless, dreamy style. In the last few years, my style has also been influenced by the works of various artists from the world of film, painting, photography, and music. Through my work, I want to connect everything that inspires me. I create collages and capture cinematic moments accompanied by black and white photos with background melodies of my favorite musicians. Also, I capture short videos that are an extension of the photography I create and add to the atmosphere of my creative world. I always want to convey the atmosphere and process, not just capture the moment.
Photographing destination weddings has given me a wealth of life experience. It taught me how to deal with unpredictable situations and appreciate daily life. I saw how you can lose yourself and your decisions along the way but also return to your path. For me, that experience is incredible and unforgettable. Dreams come true only through dedicated work, and boundaries exist only in our minds. By focusing on your own path, obstacles and negativity disappear. When you see things that way, each work becomes an artistic expression that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. It is a wealth that no one can take away.
In the art world, there is no absolute best. Still, there is only a marketing effort to impose such an impression of importance and existence. However, such an impression is only temporary. We live in a period where everything is sold, bought, taken away, and added. In the last few years, I have learned that the process is more important than the result. The process is the only important thing when you are an artist. It is always interesting to watch the transformation of your work. When you have a result, that's the end. Photography represents a journey; the longer it lasts, the more you experience it. Time passes very quickly, and the great desire to achieve some goals accelerates everything even more, and all this will suddenly disappear. I don't know how long my creation will take, but I don't plan on it ending anytime soon. As much as the pace of today's life changes and rushes us, it makes no sense to have everything now and immediately. Work and creation are always before everything else.
I see my work between timeless and contemporary dialogue. Timeless elements provide a sense of groundedness, a connection to our roots, culture, and traditions, anchored in a story that spans generations. Meanwhile, contemporary influences infuse vitality, innovation, and a sense of relevance. It drives us forward, encouraging exploration, innovation, and adaptation to the evolving landscapes of our lives. It is a balance that acknowledges the past while embracing the possibilities of the present and the evolving future.
