The proposal for the realization of the monument is related to the contemporary artistic process of the ready-made. Ready-made can be said to be "an object of everyday use that is exhibited as a work of art" (Proleksis encyclopedia online). The importance of ready-made as an art form is also evidenced by the following news: "British art experts chose Marcel Duchamp's famous urinal as the "most influential work of art of the 20th century", ahead of the works of Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Henri Matisse. According to the survey, whose results released on Wednesday, the white porcelain urinal called "Fountain" is a symbol of the beginnings of conceptual art as well as the tendency of minimalism.”

www.index.hr, 2 Dec 2004

My proposal is the following: Željko Kerum should be declared a monument to himself, Željko Kerum.

We can discuss the form of the announcement in more detail later, but the very necessity of this artistic act, let me be modest, I think is indisputable.

I think it is unnecessary to talk about the artistic reasons for such a gesture after reading the above news from the Index portal, with the fact that it seems to me that with this procedure we would take a step further in the expressive possibilities of the ready-made because I have not yet come across information anywhere that a living person has been declared artistic a work and a monument to itself, which would make a breakthrough both in the form of ready-made and in the field of monumental tradition, and open a new field of (post)avant-garde artistic expression.

Historically, it seems to me that it is completely clear, if there was such a choice, who would be declared the symbol of modern Split. Ever since the early nineties, Željko Kerum has embodied everything that Split as a city is decorated with - the indomitable will to move forward despite all the adversities, the winning mentality that athletes used to symbolize, and now it is definitely Željko Kerum, as well as the famous determination to stand in defense of their traditions and values against seemingly stronger opponents. Željko Kerum made an immeasurable contribution to modern Split with his economic and political successes, but also with magnificent architectural, cultural, customary, demographic, hedonistic, rhetorical, altruistic, Catholic, hajduk and other endeavors. There is almost no area of life in Split that Željko Kerum did not leave his indelible mark on. His exemplary working elan of a modern entrepreneur and caring mayor, city councilor and member of parliament has never suppressed the hedonistic streak of a Mediterranean.
In terms of tourism, the potential of the work "Željko Kerum/Željko Kerum" is wide and almost endless in the photographic form of selfies and portraits, which would certainly make Split and "Željko Kerum" an absolute hit on Facebook, Instagram and other social networks, and probably also in cultural and other world media.

That is why I think that the realization of this ready-made monument would be a visionary tribute to Split as we have known it for the last thirty years, and which is best embodied in the image and work of Željko Kerum.

In the last case, it is inconceivable to me that any other art form could show all the complexity of Kerum's personality as ready-made can.

If we were to summarize the history of Split in a few names, then one of the legitimate lines could look like this: Diocletian (imperial history) - Sveti Duje (Christian spirituality) - Marko Marulić (culture) - Hajduk (sport) - Feral (journalism, satire) - Željko Kerum (contemporary folk history).

(Željko Kerum is an entrepreneur who, according to some, is a symbol of corruption and lawlessness connected to politics. Before his entrepreneurial career, which began during the war of the nineties, he was a forklift driver. In addition to the business empire, which ended in bankruptcy, he was also the founder of a political party, the mayor of Split - the second largest city in Croatia, and a member of the state assembly. He is also known for his unconventional behavior. Basically, a legendary figure who embodies success, mostly his own, and downfall, mostly the community.)