Tomislav Horvat is a Međimurje artist who creates stunning sculptures from matches. His work requires a significant amount of time, persistence, effort, and patience. He often wakes up at 4 a.m. to work on his sculptures until 7 a.m., before heading off to work. Love for art was sparked during his time as a high school student studying civil engineering, where he was fascinated by the mosaic made of ceramics from the Italian Renaissance. This inspired him to experiment with three-dimensional creations using easily accessible materials like matches.

Over the years, Tomislav’s sculptures have become increasingly intricate and challenging, with works such as “The Godfather” and “The Pianist” featuring hundreds of thousands of matches each. However, it was his sculpture “Desperate,” which depicts a man parting ways with his family due to displacement, that resonated most deeply with viewers and sparked important conversations about migration and safety.

Currently working on his latest project, Tomislav is creating a massive sculpture of Michelangelo working on David that will dwarf all of his previous works. With an estimated completion time of two years and over 400 thousand matches already incorporated into the piece, this new creation promises to be one of Tomislav’s most ambitious works yet.

As an artist who has devoted himself to his craft for over ten years, Tomislav has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. With countless matchsticks in his collection and endless creative possibilities ahead of him, he looks forward to continuing to push boundaries and create unforgettable works of art that will inspire generations to come.