Nenad Šaljić was born 1961 in Croatia. He is a Zermatt-Switzerland based visual artist best known for his photographic art.
Being trained as a mountaineer and a caver, Šaljić is inspired by earth’s geological history. He was introduced to photography by his math teacher, after which he attended film school and filmed a few Super 8 shorts while earning his degree. Although he wanted to pursue photography after film school, Šaljić’s life was pushed into a different direction. Eighteen years of his adult life were spent in the world of international business and university lecturing after obtaining a PhD in Economics. However, he returned to photography entirely in 2007.
His projects include five artist books: Matterhorn: Portrait of a Mountain (a seven-year project concluded in 2015, German-English bilingual), Birth of a Ship (shot between 2007 – 2009 and completed in 2017), Void (Two-volume Box Set, shot between 1980 – 2018 and released in 2019), DeVoid (shot between 2010 – 2018 and released in 2020) and MATTERHORN II (photographed between 2021 – 2022 and published in 2022).
His work has received numerous major awards. It is exhibited internationally and is also included in various international collections. His Matterhorn photograph was the choice of Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall/Winter 2013/14 Collection, and his series Void was the inspiration for a fashion collection from Saxony in Australia 2013/14.
Šaljić is represented by Kunsträume | The Heinz Julen Art Gallery Zermatt, Switzerland and Kranjčar Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia.
EXHIBITIONS (Selection)
| 2022 | Nenad Šaljić, MATTERHORN, Solo Show at KUNST ZÜRICH 22, Switzerland |
| 2022 | Nenad Šaljić, MATTERHORN, Art Photo Budapest, Budapest, Hungary |
| 2021 | Nenad Šaljić, MATTERHORN: Portrait of a Mountain, Fotoplast, Zurich, Switzerland |
| 2020 | ETERIČNI NARATIVI, Kranjčar Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2020 | 55. Zagreb Salon, Technical Museum Nikola Tesla & ULUPUH Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2020 | Natura Vita, Kranjčar Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2019 | Nenad Šaljić, MATTERHORN: Portrait of a Mountain, NESVRSTANI – Boutique Art Fair 2019, Lauba, Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2019 | Nenad Šaljić, Void, Kranjčar Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2017 | Nenad Šaljić, Birth of a Ship, Galerie Rigassi by SOON, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2017 | Nenad Šaljić, Birth of a Ship, Photo Gallery Split, Croatia |
| 2016 | Eros Fight Freedom, Old City Hall, Split, Croatia |
| 2015 | NENAD ŠALJIĆ.MATTERHORN: Portrait of a Myth \ Der Mythos im Porträt, Solo Show at KUNST ZÜRICH 15, Switzerland |
| 2015 | Aer, La mostra fotografica e video, Scuderie di Palazzo Aragona, Vasto CH, Italy |
| 2015 | NENAD ŠALJIĆ.MATTERHORN: Portrait of a Myth \ Der Mythos im Porträt, CERVO, Zermatt, Switzerland |
| 2015 | Sieben Künstler – ein Berg \ Seven Artists – One Mountain, KUNSTRÄUME Zermatt, Switzerland |
| 2015 | NENAD ŠALJIĆ.MATTERHORN: Portrait of a Myth \ Der Mythos im Porträt, GALERIE RIGASSI, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2014 | New York Photo Festival – The PhotoWorld Exhibition, The POWERHOUSE Arena, New York City, USA |
| 2014 | Aperture Foundation Summer Open, New York City, USA |
| 2013 | Nenad Šaljić, Solo Exhibition, Photo Gallery Split, Croatia |
| 2013 | Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, Somerset House, London, UK |
| 2013 | Nenad Saljic, Solo Exhibition, Saxony: The Galeries (Sydney), World Square (Sydney), Chatswood Chase (Chatswood), Doncaster, Chadstone, QV (Melbourne), Australia |
| 2012 | The Grand Prix de la Découverte, NoFound Photo Fair – in conjunction with Paris Photo and Paris Mois de la Photo, Paris, France |
| 2012 | Foto8 Summershow 2012, Foto8 Gallery, London, UK |
| 2012 | Worldwide Photography Biennial Exhibition, The Borges Cultural Center, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| 2011 | AOP – Association of Photographers Open Exhibition, The Dray Walk Gallery, London, UK |
ARTIST BOOKS
| 2022 | Nenad Šaljić: MATTERHORN II, Orada GmbH, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2020 | Nenad Šaljić: DeVOID, Orada GmbH, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2019 | Nenad Šaljić: VOID, Orada GmbH, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2017 | Nenad Šaljić: BIRTH OF A SHIP, Orada GmbH, Bern, Switzerland |
| 2015 | Nenad Šaljić: MATTERHORN Portrait of a Mountain \ Porträt eines Berges, Orada & Galerie Rigassi, Bern, Switzerland |
AWARDS (Selection)
| 2015 | PDN Photo Annual, New York: Winner – MATTERHORN Portrait of a Mountain |
| 2014 | Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3): Gold Award – MATTERHORN Portrait of a Mountain |
| 2013 | Sony World Photography Awards, London: First Place–Professional – MATTERHORN Portrait of a Mountain |
| 2013 | IPA/Lucie Awards, Los Angeles, USA: First Prize – Book “Birth of a Ship” |
| 2013 | PDN Photo Annual, New York: Winner – Birth of a Ship |
| 2013 | Photodays Rovinj, Croatia: First Prize – Photobook “Birth of a Ship” |
| 2013 | Houston Center for Photography: Fellowship Honorable Mention (Juror W.M. Hunt) – Void (Petrified) |
| 2012 | National Geographic Photo Contest: First Prize – Matterhorn |
| 2012 | World in Focus, PDN Magazine, New York: Grand Prize Winner |
| 2012 | New York Photo Festival: Invitational Winner for forthcoming Photobook “Birth of a Ship” |
| 2012 | Houston Center for Photography, 30th Annual Juried Membership Exhibition: Juror’s Commendation Award (Juror Anne Tucker) – Void (Petrified) |
| 2012 | IPA/Lucie Awards, Los Angeles, USA: Second Prize – Matterhorn |
| 2011 | Camera Obscura Journal of Literature & Photography, USA: Outstanding Photo Award & Editor’s Choice Award |
| 2011 | B&W Magazine Portfolio Contest, USA: Spotlight Award |
| 2011 | B&W Magazine Single Image Contest, USA: 2 x Gold Award |
| 2010 | National Geographic Photo Contest: Winner – Matterhorn |
| 2010 | B&W Magazine Portfolio Contest, USA: Excellence Award |
COLLECTIONS (Selection)
| Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France | |
| Foto8 Gallery, London, UK | |
| Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester-Boston, USA | |
| The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, USA | |
| Museum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb, Croatia |
REVIEWS/ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS (Selection)