The idea for the project Slovenia re:discovered or Cultured Vandals, came after Celje was announced as a candidate city for the Cultural Capital of Europe and experiencing the mass exodus from the recent member states of the EU to London.
We are particularly interested in such culturaly social and political contexts of work. We all come from different backgrounds, we bring that along, we do (or we don't) integrate, use it if we need to.
What happens when you see something through the eyes of a tourist who is bombarded with promo material, when he arrives somewhere, where he was never before? Does he see what he expects or he pretends it's true? How do the locals treat him, do they know what they have? Why is 'home' always 'so boring and nothing ever happens, but elsewhere is so much better'...are just some of the questions, that mark this project. I am hoping it will open more up. Sincerely.
Between 8th and 17th of September we attacked the town of Celje, Slovenia- in an amicable way of course!
We were collaborating with students from Gimnazija Center Celje's art department, local artists, with Zavod za varstvo kulturne dediščine, Filter, Društvo za ljubitelje umetnosti, Metropol cinema, and under the patronage of the Celje Town Hall. We prepared workshops and other culturaly vandal activities, also had an input into the local media, met the mayor and presented him with a book by Sir Cristopher Frayling on the history of Royal College. The project culminated with the opening of the exhibition of the created work at Spodnji Knežji Dvorec (The Lower Castle) on the 15th of September with an evening of obscure latino music provided by Ian Gabb, letterpress technician who also took part. That is also where we were spending most of our time.
The exhibition of the exhibition is now residing at the Hockney gallery at the Royal College of Art.
Come find us, and join us in this quest for Celje as you/we know it- or not?
Students involved represent Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, Greece, Brazil, England and Italy.
Polona Dolžan, project initiator