Matej Kožić
Zagreb,  Croatia
25 years old
12
Routes
0
Boulders
12
Routes
0
Boulders
About
Followers
3
Following
2
HEIGHT
175 cm
Occupation
Scientist, Chemist
Sponsors
Started climbing
2017
Best climbing areas
Crljenica, Paklenica
Areas where I can guide
Terihaj
Other interests
Photography
MY RECOMMENDED ASCENTS
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CLIMBING IN
LATEST PHOTOS
So much goes into maintaining a climbing gym, of which an average climber isn't even aware of. Occasionally (once in a never haha, jk), holds have to be washed. And that is done by hand (or a foot, in this case). Firstly, the holds are assembled (usually into a "forever-borrowed" shopping cart), and transported onto a place where water no longer becomes your problem. After that, they are soaked in some kind of a solution to loosen the grime up, after which they get dominated by a jacked climber with a pressurewasher, usually wearing crocks. And he also has to be shirtless. Holds are left to dry out in the sun (and maybe smoke a cig), after which they once again go into the purloined cart, and back to storage or onto the wall. Seeing climbing volumes, abstract and modern plastic things in bright colors, in a shopping cart is a weird experience no matter how many times one has seen it. On the surface it's the most absurde meaningless thing-- to a regular person thigns inside by themsevles don't make much sense in existing... and coupled with a shopping cart...; but to an industry insider, it's a tuesday. Holds usually get washed before big events such as competitions, when volumes and modern holds take priority, and oldschool holds kind of parasitise off of the watr jet aimed at expensive volumes. So even with climbing holds, pecking order exists.
Collages help tell stories that single photos are built around. Here is Marko Rožman PhD, a senior scientist working in the department of Physical Chemistry of Croatia's top scientific institute, a chemist by day, routesetting for a local climbing gym. It's easy to go to a gym without thinking about what goes on behind the scenes... how each hold on the wall was once in a bucket, and how it has a purpose and an idea behind it, and was put there by a person. A person that is likely as passionate a climber as you yourself, but that also has a life besides climbing... And those people are often remarkalbe, as it the case with the Dr. here. Croatia's top climber for a long time, many routes established, bolted, climbed 8c+... It's interesting to think of that behind-the-scenes and behind-the-route, because the majority of people will never see, let alone carry, a 30 pound bucket of jugs hahah. To your average climber, it represents something new and interesting. And we, the sport-insiders, somethimes need to step back to admire the beauty of jugs in a bucket.
Indoor climbing looks great in black and white because of all the contrast, detail, and texture that chalk (which gets everywhere) creates. This snapshot from a training with my friend Nino almost looks like a reinesance painting, with him striking a "classical" "David-esque" pose of wiping sweat off of his brow, and me being quick with my shutter :). Not a particularly memorable session, but a great photo nontheless
Marko Rožman PhD, a senior scientist working in the department of Physical Chemistry on Ruđer Bošković institute, Croatia's top scientific institution. And also, Croatia's as OG a climber as OG gets, with climbed 8c+ (as far as I know), many routs bolted and established, and Croatia's nationals titles won. It's safe to say that this man has achieved mastery in both science, and sport. On top of his respective fields. In these pictures he is routesetting for a local gym, presumably as a breather between mass spectroscopy publications and whatnot :)
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