IMPRESSIONS +386. CONTEMPORARY SLOVENIAN ART

IMPRESSIONS +386. CONTEMPORARY SLOVENIAN ART

Slovenia has an old tradition in gra-phic arts, in fact Ljubljana Academyof Fine Arts was one of the first scho-ols that introduced printmaking as astudy tendency after Word War 2 inEurope. Ljubljana introduced first glo-bal graphic art Biennial in 1955, andafter that the “Ljubljana School ofGraphic Art” was formed as one of thestrongest positions in Slovene modernart.It may be that graphic art, because ofits specific formal and conceptual pro-perties, is much more involved thanother art forms with the social field ofthe visual, which comprises theeveryday processes of observation.The fact that graphic art is able to bewidely disseminated and have an im-pact in several places at the sametime makes it part of the social rea-lity, which it actively helps to shapeand in which it creates, along withother forms of visual communication,specific social attitudes. In Slovenia,graphic art is currently in a positionwhere it has no need of interpreta-tion, decoding, adoration, or demysti-fication; it needs only a space inwhich it can look with all clarity andpresent its desires.The artist has faced the interestingquestion, even the challenge, of how

to reproduce his or her unique art-work and make it available in multiplecopies. For artists who still work faith-fully in traditional printmaking techni-ques, this question, it would seem, isprimarily a technical one; their res-ponse to it is based on the particularnature of the individual graphic tech-nique and the demands of the artmarket. But as we know, practicallyevery impression of the matrix is ofequal significance in that the commu-nicative potential and importance ofthe message increase throughout theedition. Every impression presents achallenge, for in the process of prin-ting there can occur inexplicable andunexpected “technical” mistakes thatopen up possible new directions andartistic expressions. In this sense, theprocess of making multiple copies of awork can be understood also as rese-arch of the medium and its proper-ties, which constantly change with thenumber and reach of the publishedcopies. Such research is a form of ar-tistic fascination with exploration, ac-cident, experiment, and consciousrepetition. In the perfection of the im-pression one finds both technical refi-nement and an authenticity ofmessage. And so contemporary gra-phic art today faces a dilemma.

Should it confine itself to “limited”editions and “perfect” impressions,thus satisfying the criteria of an un-derdeveloped market and stayingfaithful to the properties of a giventechnique, or should it surrender itselfto formal inconsistency, to the mes-sage and meaning of the content, asit extends its reach through the widedistribution of impressions, thus alsoincreasing the power of the third look.In either case, we can speak of diver-sity in the approaches and understan-ding of graphic art today and of twolegitimate creative principles that co-exist and pull artists now in one direc-tion, now in the other.The explicit autopoetics of artistswhose graphic art investigations focuson developing the medium and sear-ching for aesthetic solutions that bestcorrespond to their artistic impulsesand ideas in no way lag behind thekind of projects that today dominatethe contemporary art world, which,though not as flawless aesthetically,are conceptually and thematically in-teresting. There can be no doubt that,in both cases, artists are aware thatgraphic art is an expressly contextual,as well as conceptual, medium. By in-vestigating formal aesthetic proper-ties, artists do not renounce content,

which is often a surprising commen-tary on interesting personal experien-ces that are transformed through artinto universally meaningful images.Projects we are choosing for the showare based on reproducibility, creatingtension in how we view the presentage in which our society is working.Artists have the understanding of gra-phic art in its broadest sense – as atool for drawing attention to the stateof reality or as means for achievingchange. They consciously reproduceand disseminate the content of theirwork and in doing so amplify its im-pact. Therefore outlook of such selec-tion can result in all kind of formsstarting from traditional printmaking,contemporary methods of reproduc-tion, artist's books, artist's newspa-pers and magazines, projects outsidethe gallery, mass-media projects andso on. The matrix and the print have beenunderstood differently in differentcontexts; this instability and diversityin reception have become their trueand actual state of being.

Breda SkrjanecMGLC Counsellor and responsible ofThe Study Room and Collection

LIST OF ARTISTS Stripburger

Vesna Drnovšek

Tanja Lazetić

Tomaž Tomažin

Sašo Sedlaček

Svetlana Jakimovska Rodić

Mladen Stropnik, Katja Skušek, Nataša Skušek

Petra Varl

Marija Mojca Pungerčar

STRIPBURGER

www.stripburger.org

Stripburger in Motion, animated film, 30 min, 2010 /collage of 8 animated comic books, posters

In the year 1992 the firstissue of the magazine Strip-burger was published. Whatcompelled the forefathers ofStripburger to start a maga-zine was the lack of a comicmagazine in Slovenia. To thisvery day it remains the oneand only comic magazine inthe country of Slovenia. Be-cause of the small local pro-duction, explorativetendencies of the editors andthe inescapable bind betweenlocal production and globaltrends, the magazine was pu-blishing comics by foreign asmuch as local artists.

The editorial visited numerousfestivals, book fares and ga-lleries and succeeded in erou-sing the attention of theinternational public. In Ja-nuary 2001 the magazinewon an award at the Interna-tional Festival of Comic Art inAngouleme in the categoryfor the best fanzine.

Big attention was also givento special editions of the ma-gazine, namely Stripburek,Comics from the Other Eu-rope, anthology of EasternEuropean comics and the ne-west book to come out of theStripburger kitchen - HoneyTalks, - comics inspired bypainted beehive panels.

VESNADRNOVŠEKwww.vesna-drnovsek.net

Born in 1973.In 1997 graduated in the depart-ment of painting at the Academyof Fine Arts in Ljubljana.In 2001 completed Master's pro-gram in printmaking.

2011: Galerija ZDSLU, Ljubljana2009: Veliko sonce in gugalnica,Šivčeva hiša, Radovljica2009: Sence / Shadows, GalerijaMurska Sobota, Murska Sobota2008: Galerija KUD France Preše-ren, Ljubljana

2011: Grafika je ženskega spola /It`s a woman`s world of graphic,Galerija Rika Debenjaka, Kanal inKulturni dom Bovec, Bovec2010: Prehojena pot - Majskisalon, Koroška galerija likovnihumetnosti, Slovenj Gradec2009: Matrica:nestabilna realnost/ The Matrix: An Unstable reality,28. grafični bienale / the 28thbiennial of graphic arts, MGLC,Ljubljana

Border, 2011, color gravure, relief print, 40 x 59 cmPassage, 2011, color gravure, relief print, 52 x 33 cmStargate, 2011, color linocut, relief print, 40 x 49 cm

Shadow, 2011, monotype, 49 x 31 cmSans mots, 2011, color gravure, stencil, 49 x 33 cmStrangers, 2011, gravure, relief print, 26 x 33 cm

TANJA LAZETIĆwww2.arnes.si/~tlazet/

2010: The Migrants, P74 Gallery,Ljubljana2006: Dialogue in the Kitchen, Vo-lume I, P74 Gallery, Ljubljana2005: The Rustling of Our NativeForests (with Dejan Habicht), P74Gallery, Ljubljana2004: Ljubljana from Road, Mu-seum of Modern Art-InformationCente, Ljubljana

2012: Hidden Publics, Emil FillaGallery, Ústí nad Labem, (CzechRepublic), Curators: Andrea Do-mesle, Walter Seidl2012: 20 for 15, P74 Gallery,Ljubljana, Curator: Tadej Pogačar2011: The Artist’s Book in Slove-nia 1966 – 2010, Digital GalleryUniverze South Bank, London, Ku-rator: Tadej Pogačar 2011: Photoobjects, SimulakerGallery, Novo mesto (Slovenia),Curator: Jan Babnik2011: Follow-ed (after Hokusai),P74 Gallery, Ljubljana, WinchesterGallery, Winchester, Arnofini Ga-llery, Bristol, Curators: MichalisPichler, Tom Sowden2011: Hidden Publics,Skuc Ga-llery, Ljubljana

We make oureselves with stories, 2011,patchwork of digital prints, 282 x 147 cm

Born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in1967. Studies at School of Archi-tecture, University of Ljubljana.In 1999 he works in New York bygrant of Ministry of Culture of theRepublic Slovenia and SCCA-Ljubl-jana; in 2001 in Austria by a grantof KulturKontakt, Vienna; in 2005in Berlin by a grant of Ministry ofCulture of the Republic Slovenia.

TOMAŽ TOMAŽINwww.tomazin.org

2009: Moscow Biennial: Situa-tions, (curator: ElizabethGrady),Moscow, Russia2009: International Graphic Bien-nial, (Curator: Bozidar Zrinski),Jakopičevo Exhibition, Ljubljana,Slovenia2008: Gallery P74, Obviously, it'snot obvious / GIFT, Ljubljana,Slo-venia2008: Beloved Slovenians ... Ga-llery Velenje, Slovenia2008: Museum Road, Museum ofModern Art, Ljubljana, Slovenia2008: A third view: the diversity ofgraphics today, the InternationalCentre of Graphic Arts (MGLC),Ljubljana, Slovenia2008: Due Sponda un Mare, Cultu-ral Festival of the Adriatic Sea,Cas-tello Svevo, Termoli, Italy2008: Gallery and Gallery P74 Cap-sules Who is it? I am he, Ljubljana,Slovenia, (solo)2008: Ganes Pratt, Slovenian videoart since 2000, Ljubljana, Slovenia,2007: out of my head, Art SalonCelje, Celje, Slovenia, (solo)2007: Tales from Inner Space Ga-llery Oel-Früh, Hamburg, Germany(solo)

Bodybuilder, 2008, photography in lightbox,130,7 x 26,7 x 8,5 cmOur Army, 2008, video 4 min

Tomaž Tomažin graduated insculpture at the Fine Art Academyin Ljubljana (2000), where he fi-nished also postgraduate study innew media and sculpture (2004).

SAŠO SEDLAČEKwww.sasosedlacek.com

2009: Origami Space Race, Euro-center, Ljubljana, Slovenia2009: "Manifest", Slovenian parlia-ment, Ljubljana, Slovenia 2008: "Ö-U Immobilien", Secce-sion, Vienna, Austria 2008: "Beggar 1.0 on vacation",Siva Zona Gallery, Korcula, Croatia 2008: Lost Teritories, Mala Ga-llery, Ljubljana, Slovenia

2009: "Earth and above", MejanLabs, Stockholm , Sweden 2009: "Arzenal depo", Studio Vibafilm, Ljubljana , Slovenia 2009: "Territoria 4, The greatleap", Centro per l'arte contempo-ranea Luigi Pecci, Prato , Italy 2009: "Value point-Siemens_ar-tlab, Hilger contemporary, ViennaAustria 2009: "Public turbulence", ISOLAArt Center, Milano, Italy 2009: "2nd Katowice biennial",Katowice, Poland 2009: "Coded cultures<, Mu-seumsquartir (MUMOK, Freiraum),Dunaj, Austria2009: "Land of human rights:Being responsible for resources",Rotor gallery, Graz, Austria

Globe Heaters & World Chart after Buckminster Fuller, 2010,objects, digital print installation, dimensions variable

Born in 1974 in Ljubljana, Slove-nia. He studied and graduated inSculpture at Academy of FineArts, Ljubljana. He obtained aspecial mention in the VIDA 11AWARD, Fundacion Telefonica,Madrid, in 2008.

SVETLANA JAKIMOVSKA RODIĆhttp://www.rhiz.eu/person-18034-nl.html

2004: Skopje City Museum Ga-llery, Skopje, MacedoniaArt Gallery, Kumanovo, Macedonia2001: Meduza Gallery, Koper, Slo-venia2000: Lamut’s Art Salon, Kostan-jevica na Krki, Slovenia1999: Celje Art Salon, Celje, Slo-venia

2001: May Salon, Jakopi~ Gallery,Ljubljana, Slovenia2000: May Salon, Jakopi~ Gallery,Ljubljana, Slovenia2000: 3rd International Triennialof Graphic Arts, Bitola, Macedonia1996: 4th Biennial of SloveneGraphic Arts – Ototec, Novomesto, Slovenia

History Curtain, collage of linocuts on curtain, 300 x 140 cm each(installation from the ceiling-varies depending on space)

Svetlana Jakimovska - Rodić wasborn in 1965 in Kumanovo. Shegraduated from the Faculty of Artsin Skopje, R Macedonia, in 1990,and had her postgraduate studiesin Graphic Arts at the Art Aca-demy in Ljubljana (1992). Shehas been a member of the Asso-ciation of Artists as of 1992, andas of 1994 she has had the statusof an independent artist accredi-ted by the Ministry of Culture ofthe Republic of Slovenia.Works and lives in Ljubljana.

MLADEN STROPNIK, KATJASKUŠEK, NATAŠA SKUŠEKwww.solaprosticas.com/prizlatemstegnu

2010: Free project, experimentalTresure experience2010 / 09: The Golden Thigh, Ko-roška Gallery of Fine Arts SlovenjGradec, Maja Škerbot - curator2009: The Golden Thigh 2, GalleryKAPSULA, Maja Škerbot - curator2008: The Golden Thigh 1, GalleryKAPSULA, Maja Škerbot – curator2006: Performance, JUKE-BOX,Gallery MEDIA-NOX, Katja andNataša Skušek, Urša Perko, Mla-den Stropnik2004: Video performance, Swe-dish Kitchen, Barje swamp lands-cape, Nataša in Katja Skušek,Mladen Stropnik2004: Performance, Habibi, Ga-llery MEDIA-NOX, Nataša in KatjaSkušek, Mladen Stropnik

The Golden Thigh, 2001-2012

The Golden Thigh group are Na-taša Skušek, Katja Skušek, Mla-den Stropnik.With their project The GoldenThigh, the art trio explores in agourmet manner the dimensionsof nourishment, particularly theobsessions to do with food. Thistopic is the main theme of theirjoint activity. Exhibited are theirproducts evolving from culture ofeating– results of workshops andselection of videos.

PETRA VARL www.petravarl.com

2010: “Paintings, Prints, Dra-wings”, Gallery of The Faculty ofPhiloshophy, Maribor, Slovenia2010: “Drawings”, UGM, MariborGallery of Fine Arts, Maribor2010: “Signs”, Kibla, Maribor2009: “Very Simple Drawings”,Novi Hram Gallery, Sarajevo2009: “I Love Susak”, Atellier 513Gallery, Susak, Croatia

2011: “Contemporary Art fromSlovenia”, European Central Bank,Frankfurt am Main2011: “Migitacije”, Sokolski dom,Škofja Loka, Slovenia2010: “Heimat/Domovina”, MMKK,Museum Moderner Kunst Kaern-ten, Klagenfurt, Austria2010: “Crtež u Sloveniji/Drawingin Slovenia”, Museum of Contem-porary Art, Zagreb, Croatia2010: “The Family”, Susak Expo2010, Susak, Croatia2010: “From the UGM Collection”,New Works, UGM Galery of FineArts, Maribor, Slovenija2010: “10. Biennial Of MiniatureArt Gornji Milanovac”, The ModernGaller Gornji MIlanovac, Srbija The book of serigraphs, 2010, artist book

and wall drawing

Petra Varl was born in 1965 inLjubljana, Slovenia. In 1997 sheobtained a Master's degree in FineArts from the Academy of FineArts and Design in Ljubljana.Petra Varl works as a visual artistin the media of drawing, graphicarts, painting, illustration and ins-tallations. She lives and works inLjubljana and Maribor.

MARIJA MOJCAPUNGERČARwww.3via.org/mojca

2010: How Has Art History Chan-ged, Project Room of the Centerfor Contemporary Arts SCCA-Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia2009: Mortality Table, art action,the sites: City of Women Interna-tional Festival of ContemporaryArts, The Festival for 3th Life Pe-riod, Festival DokMa, Azil Books-tore, Gallery Alkatraz

2011: The Present and Presence,Museum of Contemporary Art Me-telkova (MSUM), Ljubljana, Slove-nia2010: Sculpture Today, Galerijasodobnih umetnosti Celje, Celje,Slovenia 2010: Word for Word WithoutWords, Mestna galerija, Ljubljana,Slovenia 2010: Feminist Art in Slovenia,P74 Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia2010: (Un)powerful, Delavski domTrbovlje, Trbovlje, Slovenia2010: Female Artist - the Art ofSurvival, Project Room SCCA,Ljubljana, Slovenia 2010: re: ex-post, Critical Kno-wledge and the Post-YugoslavianCondition, Open Space, Vienna

Mortality Table, 2009http://www.3via.org/index.php?htm=tablice/index

Born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. Ar-tist based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Aformer fashion designer (1983–1987), she holds a BFA in paintingfrom the Academy of Fine Arts inLjubljana (1989) and an MFA innew genres from the San Fran-cisco Art Institute (2001). Since2004 she is the founding memberof the Trivia Art (KUD Trivia). Mor-tality Table is an art project in theform of a thematic chocolate bar

Contact:

Javier Martín-JiménezIngráficaAsociación Hablar enArteC/ Atocha, 91 - 1º ext. dcha.28012 Madridjmartinj@ingrafica.orgjavier@hablarenarte.comT. 0034 913080049M.0034 606711022