Projects: Creating the 2020 Split Film Festival Trophy
The Split Film Festival is one of the oldest film and video festivals in Croatia, showcasing new films and radical works of all styles, themes and genres.
The festival celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020 and the organisers wanted a new trophy design to mark this important event. When Luka Mimica was approached to create the trophy, he decided to step away from the traditional metal design and went with a build that not only took a fresh approach but also paid tribute to the Mediterranean city.
About the Creator
Ten years ago, Luka Mimica was studying at the local Art Academy and was learning with materials such as clay and plaster. “This got really boring” laughs Luka. “So I started experimenting with more modern materials.” Luka soon found epoxy resin and started researching new and exciting possibilities. “It was hard to get transparent, crystal clear resin at the time in Croatia and I started experimenting with floor resin.” Fast forward to 2020 and Luka has built a kayak out of thirty pairs of jeans and created the ‘Blootal Coin’ for the Miss World 2017 event in China.
The Trophies
When Luka was picked to design the trophy for the Split Film Festival, he knew he wanted to use epoxy to create the trophies and decided Entropy Resins® would be the perfect material for his build.
The first challenge Luka faced was with his pressure pot. “I normally use my pot to cure my work, but I soon realised the desired size was too large to fit.” To overcome this, Luka improvised and built a custom mould out of silicone in the shape of the trophy.
“I was able to pour to epoxy into the mould and the slow curing nature of Entropy Resins over 72 hours really helped remove any potential bubbles. To get rid of bubbles, I also improvised a shaking mechanism by using an old power drill”. He then realised he could take advantage of Dalmatian’s hot all-year-round temperature and use solar power to assist in the curing process. “It was a particularly hot day, so I put the silicone mould full with epoxy inside my car, which became a post-curing oven,” explains Luka.
“The other challenge I faced was when it came to the tail of the trophy,” explains Luka. “The flipper of the tail was incredibly thin and I was afraid it would break off when I took it out of the mould.” Luka decided to build glass fibre into the tail to increase the integrity of the build. “I used glass fibre as it would increase the strength of the tail and it is a clear material so it couldn’t be seen when you looked at the trophy. The trophy is laminated and casted at the same time.”
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the 25th Jubilee edition of the festival was able to go ahead, with movie fans able to enjoy the programme in an open-air cinema. After getting approval on his initial prototype, Luka created the final product and his trophies are now sitting proudly in the homes of the 2020 Split Film Festival winners.
Luka’s kayak built out of thirty pairs of jeans
The Future
After his work on the trophies, Luka’s mind has opened up to new ideas and he wants to continue experimenting with new and sustainable materials. “I want to build a boat next. Perhaps a Catamaran using epoxy and agave fibre.” Luka explains, “Everything I’ve learnt, I’ve taught myself through YouTube. I don’t own a big laboratory or high-technology mechanisms yet but I am good at improvisation. I make everything in my ‘guerrilla way’ which makes my work unique.”
Luka’s pursuit of sustainable and environmental conservation is inspiring. “When there is no wind, I’m out on the sea in my kayak collecting rubbish from the sea,” explains Luka. A few years ago, he moved from the city to an isolated place, to the home of his ancestors, a family house in the pinewood above the sea. The place is called Mimice, same as his surname. His connection with nature and the sea made him conscious of the environmental impact his work was causing. Luka then discovered Entropy Resins five years ago and is now able to continue experimenting with resin and takes inspiration from his surroundings and brings them into his work.
You can follow Luka and his work on his website (https://lukamimica.com/).
