Atelier Peraica

History

As a young boy, Antonio Perajica (Peraica) apprenticed as a photographer. He worked for several ateliers in Split, including Borovich and Sinobad, before opening his own practice in Krizeva ulica (Via del Moro) in 1934. According to the Yugoslav secret service agency OZNA, he worked as a film operator in the center of European cinema – Cinecitta in Rome – between 1937 and 1943. He joined Tito's partisans after fascism was defeated. He arrived with the title of Chief of Film and Photography of the 1st Proletarian Brigade and several bravery medals. He was also a certified aerial photographer. After WWII, he taught at a photography school in Rijeka before moving to Split to work with graphic artist Vladimir Kirin on the production of monographs for Photo RVI.

In 1949, he began working independently again, first at Villa Cassolini and later at the private atelier-shop in the Grisogono Palace on the Peristyle Square, the Roman Emperor's palace's epicenter. His commissions included photographing the Croatian National Theatre in Split and the local football team Hajduk, both of which have a large archive of his work. Antonio, who had one of the longest photographic careers, retired in 1984 at the age of 70. He never stopped shooting or retouching, though.

Following Antonio's retirement in 1984, the atelier was passed down to his son Drazen. In the late 1960s, he graduated from photography school and became a Master Photographer. He was a member of the photo and documentation team for the construction company Lavcevic before taking over the Atelier, with experimental filmmaker Ivan Martinac. This team was assembling the best professionals in order to document massive socialist investments in building and urbanization processes. Ana Peraica, an art historian specializing in media arts and visual culture, took over the atelier after her father Drazen.