Đuro Tiljak and Krsto Hegedušić: The Untold Story of Friendship and Hostility, Seen through the Prism of Their Opinions on Socially Engaged Art

Abstract

Based on the archival sources and previous studies, the paper analyses the relationship between Krsto Hegedušić and Đuro Tiljak through the prism of their theoretical contributions to socially engaged art in Croatia from 1932 to 1950. Taking into account the chronology of conflict on the literary left as well as the ideological differences between the two artists, it is possible to distinguish two phases in their relations. The first, a period of cooperation, lasted from 1932 to 1934 and was characterized by their joint efforts to define the Croatian version of socially engaged art. In the period of disagreement and final breakup, from 1934 to 1950, both artists participated in public debates on the issues of socialist realism and normative art, but in  opposing camps: whereas Tiljak represented the Kharkov line, Hegedušić opted for Krleža’s critique of normative aesthetics. The tensions between the two artists culminated in 1950 with an open conflict, which was also influenced by the turbulent political circumstances caused by the adoption of the Resolution of the Information Bureau and the exclusion of Yugoslavia from the association of Communist countries.