Mate Čvrljak: Savo Vukelić
(inauguracija biste 1975. godine)
Savo Vukelić, general-pukovnik, antifašist (Drežnica, Ogulin, 27. I. 1917 – Rijeka, 25. VIII. 1974). Nakon završene osnovne škole u rodnom mjestu upisao je zrakoplovnu dočasničku školu u Pančevu koju je završio 1936. Službovao je u raznim mjestima Kraljevine Jugoslavije – Zagrebu, Cetinju, Podgorici, Mostaru, Zemunu, Pančevu i Novom Sadu. Poslije travanjskog rata i okupacije Kraljevine Jugoslavije 1941. vratio se u rodno mjesto i pripremao ustanak. U srpnju 1941. primljen je u članstvo Komunističke partije (KP). Prošao je sve partizanske časničke dužnosti, od zapovjednika partizanskog logora, čete Drežničkog partizanskog odreda i bataljuna, a 15. travnja 1942. postavljen je za zamjenika zapovjednika V. operativne zone Hrvatske. Od siječnja do kolovoza 1943. bio je zapovjednik VI. primorsko-goranske udarne brigade izvršivši nekoliko akcija. Od kolovoza do 15. rujna 1943. bio je načelnik štaba XIII. primorsko-goranske divizije, a potom je odlukom Glavnog štaba Hrvatske (GŠH) od 19. rujna premješten u Istru na dužnost zapovjednika Operativnoga štaba za Istru koji je formiran u Pazinu 23. rujna. Osposobio je brojni zapovjedni kadar, a jedan dio poslan je na školovanje pri GŠH. Od svih postrojbi 29. kolovoza 1944. formirana je 43. istarska divizija čiji je bio prvi zapovjednik. S 43. istarskom divizijom izveo je više uspješnih akcija, ne samo u Istri, već i u Gorskom kotaru i Hrvatskom primorju. Bio je vijećnik Prvog zasjedanja Zemaljskog antifašističkog vijeća narodnog oslobođenja Hrvatske (ZAVNOH-a) i član Okružnog komiteta KPH za Gorski kotar. Nakon završetka rata obnašao je mnoge visoke dužnosti u Jugoslavenskoj narodnoj armiji i dosegao čin general-pukovnika.
Nositelj je Partizanske spomenice 1941. i niza jugoslavenskih odlikovanja, a narodnim herojem proglašen je 27. studenoga 1953. godine. Pokopan je u Aleji narodnih heroja na Novom groblju u Beogradu.
U portretiranju narodnog heroja Save Vukelića Čvrljak je realističnom naracijom prezentirao fizički izgled muškarca zrele životne dobi. Reljefna obrada površina s hrapavim teksturama pojedinih partitura glave te udubljenima i ispupčenjima na površinama snažno podupiru ekspresiju izraza portretiranog, a svjetlosnim efektima ekspresiju poprsja u cjelini.
Mate Čvrljak, akademski kipar (Konjevrate kod Šibenika, 30. IV. 1934 – Rijeka, 17. IV. 2018). Diplomirao je kiparstvo na Akademiji likovnih umjetnosti u Zagrebu u klasi prof. Vanje Radauša (1961), od 1962. do 1964. bio je suradnik majstorske radionice Antuna Augustinčića. Od 1965. do 2000. radio je kao profesor umjetnosti u Srednjoj školi Mate Blažina u Labinu i suutemeljitelj je Labinskih ateliera. Sudjelovao je na skulptorskim simpozijima, od 1972. godine održao brojne samostalne izložbe, a 1985. izložbu skulptura u Kaštelu u Pazinu. Čvrljak je autor javnih spomenika u Labinu, Buzetu, Aranđelovcu (Srbija), Iloku, Puli i Medulinu. Ostvario je značajan opus portreta i poprsja koji su postavljeni u javne i otvorene prostore. U pazinskom Parku istarskih velikana autor je sedam bisti.
Savo Vukelić
Sculptor: Mate Čvrljak, inauguration of the bust: 1975
Savo Vukelic was a lieutenant-general and an anti-fascist (Drežnica, Ogulin, January 27, 1917 – Rijeka, August 25, 1974). After finishing primary school in his hometown, he entered the aviation non-commissioned officer school in Pančevo, where he graduated in 1936. He served in various places in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia – Zagreb, Cetinje, Podgorica, Mostar, Zemun, Pančevo and Novi Sad. Following the April War and the occupation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1941, he returned to his birthplace and prepared an uprising. In July 1941, he was accepted as a member of the Communist Party. He went through all partisan officer duties, from the commander of the partisan camp, the armed group of the Drežnica partisan detachment and battalion, and on April 15, 1942, he was appointed deputy commander of the 5th operational zone of Croatia. From January to August 1943, he was the commander of 6th coastal-mountain strike brigade, having carried out a number of actions. From August until September 15, 1943, he was Chief of Staff of the 13th coastal-mountain division, and then following the decision of the General Staff of Croatia dated September 19 he was transferred to Istria to the position of commander of the Operational Headquarters for Istria, which was formed in Pazin on September 23. He trained numerous command staff, part of which were sent to study at the General Staff of Croatia. The 43rd Istrian Division was formed from all units, on August 29, 1944 of which he was the first commander. With this Division, he carried out several successful actions not only in Istria, but also in Gorski kotar and the Croatian coast. He was a councillor of the 1st session of the State Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Croatia and a member of the District Committee of the Communist Party of Croatia for Gorski kotar. After the end of the war, he held many high positions in the Yugoslav People’s Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant general. He was the bearer of the Partisan Monument in 1941 and a number of Yugoslav awards, and was declared a national hero on November 27, 1953. He was buried in the Alley of National Heroes at the New Cemetery in Belgrade.
In portraying the national hero Savo Vukelić, Čvrljak presented the physical appearance of a mature man with a realistic narration. The relief processing of the surfaces with the rough textures of the individual parts of the head and the depressions and protrusions on the surfaces strongly support the expression of the man portrayed, as well as that of the bust as a whole with light effects.
Mate Čvrljak, was an academic sculptor (Konjevrate near Šibenik, April 30, 1934 – Rijeka, April 17, 2018). He graduated in sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb under prof. Vanja Radauš (1961). From 1962 to 1964, he was an associate of Antun Augustinčić’s master workshop. From 1965 to 2000, he worked as an art teacher at the Mate Blažina High School in Labin and co-founded the Labin Ateliers. He participated in sculpture symposia, and from 1972 held a number of solo exhibitions with an exhibition of sculptures in Pazin Castle in 1985. Čvrljak is the artist behind public monuments that can be found in Labin, Buzet, Aranđelovac (Serbia), Ilok, Pula and Medulin, and he also created a significant body of work of portraits and busts placed in public, open spaces, with seven of them being placed in Pazin’s Park istarskih velikana.