Prominent members

Mirna Rudan Lisak (Zagreb, 1972) is a Croatian author of books and essays on culture and arts, some of which have been translated and published abroad. She writes for the literary magazines Forum, Vijenac (The Wreath), and Riječi (Words), as well as for Večernji list (The Evening Paper) and Telegram. Her essay on the German philosopher Oswald Spengler was selected as a required text for essay writing in the 2023 National Matriculation in the Croatian language. Her research includes theory and philosophy of all branches of art in Western culture, from the early modern period to the present, and her approach to the productive and reproductive art practice is comparative and multidisciplinary. Her most notable book is the essay collection Abstract Reproductive as Productive Art: Chromatic Fantasies of the Composer Alexander Scriabin, Painter Alexej Jawlensky and Pianist Ivo Pogorelich (publisher: Matrix Croatica, Sisak, 2015). It is kept in the Zagreb Libraries, the Library of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Alexej von Jawlensky-Archive S.A. in Locarno (Switzerland), Memorial Museum of A.N. Scriabin in Moscow (Russia), Museum Wiesbaden (Germany) and Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena (USA). After the book was noticed by Alexander Serafimovich Scriabin, a descendant of the famous composer’s family, Dr. Rudan Lisak responded to the invitation of the Memorial Museum of A. N. Scriabin and presented her work in Moscow in 2018, as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Museum’s foundation. The networking of professionals from the two countries led to the foundation of the Croatian Society Alexander Scriabin.

Dr. Rudan Lisak has been playing the piano since the age of five. In 1991, she graduated from the Grammar School for Languages, and in the same year, she ranked first in the preliminary examination to be admitted to the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Zagreb. She graduated in 1997, in the class of renowned Croatian architect Nenad Fabijanić. In 2010, she enrolled in the post-graduate study course leading to a Ph.D. at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb. She completed all course requirements with honors and chose the thesis topic Influences of Jawlensky and Scriabin on New Reproductive Art Practice. Under the mentorship of Prof. Igor Rončević, Fellow of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (painter), Prof. Marcel Bačić (theoretician), and Prof. Bogdan Gagić (composer), she is the only candidate to defend her doctoral thesis prior to the official schedule (before the end of the 3rd year of study). Subsequently, in 2017, as a scholarship recipient of the Government of the French Republic under the Courants du Monde program, she further improved her skills in Paris and Montpellier, attending lectures and presenting her work in 16 famous cultural institutions such as Musée Picasso, Éditions du Centre Pompidou, and ICI—Centre chorégraphique national.

Between 1997 and 2005, Dr. Rudan Lisak has conducted numerous marketing and advertising projects. She was awarded the 1st Prize in the competition for trademark design at International Internet Congress CEENet 1997. From 2006 to 2015, she worked as a Strategic Planning and Development Advisor at the City of Zagreb, and since 2015, she has been employed as a Museum Programmes Advisor at the Zagreb City Office for Culture. She is the City of Zagreb Mayor’s representative at numerous cultural events.

In 2014, the International ArtExpo group in cooperation with MECA (Mediterráneo Centro Artístico) selected her video work Multidisciplinary virtual 3D installation (synthesis of Scriabin, Jawlensky and Pogorelich in a light installation) for screening at the International Festival of Experimental Video-Art Pixels of Identities, which was held in the Museo de Almería (Spain). After holding a lecture on the mystic chord in 2018 as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of founding the Scriabin Museum in Moscow (Russia), in 2022, as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth, she held a lecture on his light organ. Furthermore, she popularized Scriabin’s work in 2019 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, when she held a lecture as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of founding the Bauhaus.

Dr. Rudan Lisak has attended fourteen international conferences. She is a member of Matrix Croatica, and is also a member of the Editorial Board of Riječi (Words), a magazine for literature, culture and science. In 2019, for merits in promoting Scriabin’s art, she was admitted to the Honorary Membership of the Croatian Society Alexander Scriabin, where she holds the position of Editor-in-Chief. She is fluent in Croatian (mother tongue) English, French, German, and Italian; to improve the command of English, she attended Central College, London (UK).

Dr. Rudan Lisak has attended fourteen international conferences. She is a member of Matrix Croatica, and is also a member of the Editorial Board of Riječi (Words), a magazine for literature, culture and science. In 2019, for her contribution to promoting Scriabin’s art, she was admitted to the Honorary Membership of the Croatian Society Alexander Scriabin, where she holds the position of Editor-in-Chief. She is fluent in Croatian (native language) English, French, German, and Italian; to improve her command of English, she attended Central College, London (UK).