Project
A drop of water : a grain of salt
The concept of Croatia's presentation at EXPO 2005 is based around the idea, the plan and the metaphor of salt pans. With this concept, the initial, general theme "A drop of water" is culturally upgraded into "A drop of water : a grain of salt" because of the recognizable particularity of the Croatian landscape and history - the salt pans. The salt is an integral part of every drop of sea water, but it is also its opposite - it is obtained through hard work.
scene 0.
As visitors begin approaching the Croatian Pavilion, they are presented with the facade, a large white rectangle floating above a sea of glass which bears the word "Croatia" in both Latin and Japanese script. The "O" in the Latin script is a red circle and one of the symbols in the Japanese script is a red square. These represent the seal of Croatia and the flag of Japan and provide a visual connection between the two cultures. Once in the vicinity of the pavilion, visitors who are users of wireless communication devices may connect to the Croatia on Expo portal through the w-LAN net which will tell them about the exhibit. As they gather outside waiting to enter, shade is provided by a blue glass ceiling filled with water and which moves like the waves of the sea. Thus begins the journey into the pavilion.
scene 1.
As visitors enter the reception room of the pavilion, the transparent glass extends inward from the porch and continues the impressions of being in an underwater world. The only light comes from above, through the layer of water, which filters through the waves rippling along its surface as the sun filters through the surface of the sea. Visitors are now in an "Adriatic underwater world," enhanced by music and the play of light through the water.
scene 2.
Visitors enter the space of the main hall in specific time intervals and continue to travel below the surface of the sea. The path is illuminated by lights installed in the floor. In the bluish semi-darkness, slides of the sea and Pag's saltworks are projected on screens along both sides of the path. The projection is controlled by computers and sensors which register the movement of visitors in the space. The feeling is of being just under the surface of the sea and viewing through this thin layer of water the beginnings of the activity of salt production.
scene 3.
At the end of the path the visitors are guided onto a platform which begins to raise them above the floor of the sea. As this occurs, they are presented with a complete change of experience. Strong white lights now shine to symbolize a sunny day and activity in the saltworks is in full effect. The path they so recently traveled is now a scene from Pag's saltworks, characteristically divided into square field basins edged by wooden barriers and filled with piles of collected sea salt. The whiteness of the fields resembles the whiteness of the screens on the walls and a characteristic tipper filled with salt is moving slowly along rails. Like a zen-budhist monk that is looking after a stone garden in Kyoto's Ryoangi monastery, a man is slowly and attentively collecting salt using his tools. Singing can be heard along with the sounds of work in the fields and the faint murmur of the sea.
scene 4.
The platform raises the visitor to the mezzanine 4.7 meters above ground level where they each take a position in the gallery. The space is transformed once again and the lights slowly fade away. The white fields of the saltworks from just a moment ago are turned into a single tremendous horizontal screen (15 x 25 meters) that is used for the projection of a video about Croatia. The landscape, sea, cities, ships, people, and culture are filmed from above, from a bird's eye view, creating the feeling of flying over the country.
scene 5.
Finally, respecting the Japanese custom of giving presents, visitors are offered a grain of salt symbolizing a grain of wisdom. Packaged in a small box could be a specially designed bottle of sea water with the inscription, "A Drop of Water - A Grain of Salt, Croatia." Naturally, the salt is produced only as a result of the hard labor and effort, knowledge and creativity, patience and wisdom of the Croatian people who's only physical connection with the people of Japan is the sea. This gift at the end of their visit to the Croatian Pavilion shall forever remind them of the hardworking hands of people from this distant but exceptionally beautiful country.
