STONE WITNESSES

Placed in front of Governors palace in Rijeka, thirteen statues of very original and peculiar form hold one of the legendary stories from the past: Simeon Adamic, a local merchant and entrepreneur, was accused by fourteen witnesses of finding and hiding treasure that belonged to Austro-Hungarian Monarch, Joseph II. Thanks to the engagement of his son, Ljudevit Adamic, who became a significant person regarding development and architecture of the city, charges were soon dropped. As revenge to those who accused him, Adamic builds an enormous palace made in neo-baroq classicism, long enough to place fourteen small statues in front every window. Each statue represented one of the false witnesses and was a reminder of their unethical behavior. Over the years, from 1787. to present, statues were moved, lost and finally places on to-days spot. Their story inspired me to make a serial of photos that would present that historical anecdote and heritage of the town.