About

Naviar started in 2014 as a Tumblr blog and Soundcloud group.

A few months before launching the project, I was sitting in a coffee shop in my hometown and grabbed a book that was next to me: a haiku chapbook. 

I was listening to music while skipping through the book, and that’s when my mind somehow interpreted these two art forms as a unique, multi-sensory experience.

This happened at that time when I was struggling with my own creativity. It was becoming more and more difficult to find the time to make music, as life seemed to be pulling me towards more tangible goals. I wanted to find a way to be creative consistently.

In haiku poetry, the juxtaposition of two images or ideas and the consequent creation of a gap in the imagery gives the reader the chance to complete the poem with their own interpretation. Could this gap be filled by music instead of words?

What started in January 2014 as a personal project went on to become a wonderful creative community and a bridge between two art forms, which are much closer than I initially thought. 

Since its first challenge, the Naviar Haiku project has inspired thousands of songs by hundreds of composers scattered across the globe, hopefully serving as a source of inspiration for the artists looking for a thriving community and the right environment to express themselves.

Today, Naviar Records hosts events and collaborates with like-minded organizations around the world, publishes works by members and friends of its community, and continues its quest to encourage people to stay creative despite the hectic times we live in.

As far as I know, the word “Naviar” doesn’t mean anything. When I thought about starting a music community, I wanted to give it a unique name that would mean something to me. So, I used an anagram of my mother's name, Ivana.