ECoC Rijeka: on the streets

The grey skies overhead are not dampening spirits as the city awaits today's Inauguration of Rijeka as European Capital of Culture 2020.



The partying began last night at Night of the Museums in Rijeka. Crowds were drawn out in the drizzle to see outgoing 2020 exhibitions like Exhibition of D'Anunnzi's Martyr - L'Olocausta di D'Anunzio, Violins above the Borders / Stradivars in Rijeka - Kresnik and Cremona and (In) visible borders. However, the biggest crowds of the night were drawn to the brand new David Maljković: with the collection exhibition at the  Rijeka Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, where the artist has curated and presented a wonderful array of works from the museum's collection.



Later on in the evening, many young people attended the Opera reopening: Mike Vale event, which was the reopening of the incredible Teatro Fenice aka Opera venue as an event space. An impressive reminder of yesteryear, nothing symbolizes the spirit of Rijeka better than this imaginative regeneration of a building for contemporary use.



Just after breakfast today, large crowds appeared on Korzo, the city's central, pedestrianized thoroughfare, where a vast and detailed history of the city had overnight been plastered all along the walkway.



All photos © Marc Rowlands