31St Biennial of Graphic Arts 28. 8. — 3. 12. 2015 Ljubljana the Biennialist

1 31st Biennial THE BIENNIalIST of Graphic EXHIBITIONS AND ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMME Arts OF THE 31ST BIENNIal OF GRAPHIC ARTS 28. 8. OVER YOU — 3. 12. 2015 YOU Ljubljana šk a a c. v ko ja ca li n š 2 3 a u Vo v o N MAP OF VENUES rSIXTY YEARS AND THIRTY BIENNIalS OF GRAPHIC ARTS t s j i e Ma g o š e 14a v 01 om rn a tu od P 10 c . 02 Jakop ičevo 1 2 spre haja lišče 14b 03 Cankar jeva c. a c. k ls a c. 11 Tivo ov rn še 05 e Str r ka c. i P ta 09 s r je04 v a n u l ica e Slov 09 12 07 08 1. Miroslav Šutej: 16th International Biennial of Graphic Arts, 1985, poster. Photo: MGLC Archive 06 2. Installation view 1st International Exhibition 13 of Graphic Arts 1955, Moderna galerija. Photo: Moderna galerija Archive The idea for the Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic the number of participating nations was held in 2003 and curated by Christophe Ka Arts came into being in the first half of expanded to include countries such as India, Cherix, specialising in art prints of the 1960s the 1950s, when the spheres of arts and Indonesia, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, the and 1970s. The mass-produced image was OVER YOU/YOU COLLATERAL EXHIBITIONS culture in socialist Yugoslavia were gradually former United Arab Republic and many more. put in a broader social and even political The 31st Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana starting to reopen to modernity. The links Whereas the Biennial was a brand mark of context, featuring artists’ books, posters, with the pre-war Modernism that had been Yugoslavia’s open foreign policy, acting as an photocopies, fliers and art newspapers. In a abruptly severed were slowly becoming undeniably powerful ideological machine, it different vein, The Event, the 29th Biennial 01 MGLC/International Centre of Graphic 09 Galerija Cankarjevega doma, 12 NLB Gallery Avla, Trg republike 2 re-established, and it is for this reason that was – last but not least – an art exhibition in of Graphic Arts renounced its printmaking Arts, Tivoli Mansion, Pod turnom 3 Prešernova cesta 10 The Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic the Biennial initially drew heavily on the the service of specific goals: an art meeting background, concentrating instead on the Main exhibition María Elena González, Grand Prize Winner of the Arts Through the Poster universalist ideals of the School of Paris (École point; an open window into the world; a art event itself. However, it was already 30th Biennial of Graphic Arts (until 1. 11. 2015) de Paris). Like several other international real opportunity for the artists outside the during the preparations for the 30th edition 02 Jakopič Promenade 13 tipoRenesansa, Breg 22 exhibitions, the format of the Biennial Western Europe and the USA, and their of the Biennial that the strategic decision Will Benedict, Asad Raza 10 The Tivoli Forum Blind Material followed the structure of the Venice Biennial dreams. It was also a source of pride and to return to the specific qualities of the Biennial Public Education Programme in Tivoli in its concept of a world exhibition. Along inspiration for Ljubljana’s sizeable audience medium of printmaking took shape. A revived 03 Moderna galerija, Windischerjeva 2 Park. Schedule of events at www.mglc-lj.si 14a Pionirski dom – Center za kulturo with its founder and long-time director Zoran who visited the Biennial and took pleasure interest in this medium was driven by the Main exhibition mladih, Vilharjeva cesta 11 Kržišnik, the other key figures were: Božidar in the work of a wide variety of the artists recognition of its creative possibilities and the 11 NAMA department store Take a New Look! Jakac, Zoran Mušič and Veno Pilon. The latter from all over the world. The charismatic relevance of printmaking and fine art prints 04 Galerija Kresija, Stritarjeva ulica 6 The Biennial in a Window Display two, naturalised Parisians, helped Kržišnik, personality of the director Zoran Kržišnik in a time of cultural capitalism. Moreover, it Bureau of Loose Associations present LUXUS 14b Pionirski dom – Center za kulturo the secretary and the main organiser of the managed to consolidate and expand the was right before our eyes that the youngest (until 5. 10. 2015) mladih, Art center, Komenskega 9 1st International Graphic Exhibition, select existing format, keeping the Biennial alive generation of artists (having grown up with Take a New Look! the prints created by exponents of the School even after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. the Internet) was rediscovering the artistic 05 Mahrova house, Krekov trg 10 of Paris whose 144 works were to be at the In mid-1980s, Kržišnik even succeeded in potential of traditional printing and the Braco Dimitrijević very core of the first Biennial. The choice establishing a new institution dedicated book. Therefore, Interruption, the 30th of the medium of printmaking was based on solely to graphic arts (International Centre Biennial of Graphic Arts re-addressed the 06 Galerija Škuc, Stari trg 21 its widespread presence as an art form in of Graphic Arts), which remains the main very nature of the printmaking processes and Becky Beasley (until 27. 9. 2015) both Slovenia and Yugoslavia, as well as the producer and organiser of the Biennial until their relevance to contemporary artworks. position of graphic arts in war-time partisan today. At the turn of the millennium, Kržišnik Moving firmly along the lines of its 07 National and University Library, Turjaška 1 image-making. Furthermore, on a practical left his position, and handed over to Lilijana predecessors, Over you / you, the 31st Becky Beasley level, prints were easy to disseminate. Stepančič. It was Stepančič who launched the Biennial of Graphic Arts, spans the history (28. 8.-15. 9. / 23.10.-30. 11.) Moreover, it was the very first exhibition that concept of a curated show and adopted an of specific features relating to printmaking, demonstrated Yugoslavia’s many historical and expanded definition of the graphic medium, drawing upon philosophy, film and literature. 08 Galerija Jakopič, Slovenska cesta 9 political advantages: thanks to Yugoslavia’s thereby transforming the biennial format It communicates to us that the art of our time Giles Round specific position, the exhibition could act – after almost 45 years – in line with the is vibrant with the impressions left behind as a crossroads between the East and the changed geopolitical context and the current by both the artists and the art of the past. West, featuring 'all the continents cultivating state in the evolution of the medium of graphic arts' (J. Vidmar). After 1961, the major international art exhibitions. A radical Biennial was also in line with Yugoslavia’s change in the Biennial’s future orientation NEVENka ŠIvavEC official policy of Non-Alignment. As a result, was brought about with its 25th edition Director of International Centre of Graphic Arts 4 5 31st Biennial THE MAIN EXHIBITION OF THE 31ST BIENNIal OF GRAPHIC ARTS LjubljaNA THE BIENNIal 1. Braco Dimitrijević 1 The Casual Passer-by 2 I met at 1.43 PM, Venice (1976) © Braco Dimitrijević OPENING Archive of Graphic Courtesy of the artist, Motinternational and Tate Collection, London 2. Will Benedict: from the DaYS series BAD WeatHER (2015) Commissioned by the 31st Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana Arts Courtesy of the artist and Overduin & Co., Los Angeles SatuRDAY, 29 AuguST 20.00 3. Goshka Macuga 3 SONICA CLASSICS II: Hildur Untitled (Snake) (2009) © Goshka Macuga 10.00–11.00 Guðnadóttir, concert on a raft, Courtesy of Goshka Bureau of Loose Associations presents MoTA – Museum of Transitory Art, Macuga and Monsoon LUXUS Even More Aggressive Innocence, Ljubljanica River and embankments Art Collection presentation and breakfast Galerija Kresija SUNDAY, 30 AuguST 11.00–12.00 Becky Beasley: Sleep is when you 14.00–18.00 grow, presentation and breakfast, AVA, mentor David Gothard: White on White conversation and exhibition tour Coffee Shop of Moderna galerija Galerija Škuc OVER YOU 19.00 12.00–16.00 María Elena González: AVA, mentor David Gothard: White on White The Tree Talk Series, concert Coffee Shop of Moderna galerija Cankarjev dom, Duša Počkaj Hall 16.00–18.00 Asad Raza, D. Graham Burnett, Jeff Dolven: Schema for a School (2015) Please see the rest YOU Tivoli Park of the accompanying programme of the 31st 18.00 The 31st edition of the Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana, MODERNA galERIja AND MGLC JAKOPIč PROMENADE Giles Round: Ljubljana, 1955 (2015), Biennial of Graphic Arts titled Over you / you, explores the sociopolitical Group exhibition including works by: Reza Abdoh, Along Plečnik’s promenade in Tivoli Park, Will including works by Cally Spooner, works on page 10. characteristics associated with the graphic arts, particularly Giorgio Andreotta Calò, AVA (Vanja Erjavec, Benedict installs a series of 120 posters exploring from the collection and photo archive of in relation to reproduction, publicity and community. This Evelina Hägglund, Ana Jagodic, Zala Kobe, Nina ways in which viewers psychologically internalise Moderna galerija and the MGLC collection, year’s edition – as befits a biennial which was the first to Oblak, Gregor Rozman, Luka Savić and Sanja images of the environment and read them exhibition opening with presentation encompass all printmaking techniques – includes stone Vatič), Chris Beauregard, Will Benedict, Wolfgang emotionally, politically and otherwise. For There Galerija Jakopič lithography, large-scale woodcuts, etchings, screen-prints, Breuer, Andrea Büttner, Ellen Cantor, castillo/ is no east or west, Asad Raza alters the Plečnik posters and artist’s books. It also opens up a conception corrales, Declan Clarke, Mike Cooter, Qëndresë street-lights in the centre of the promenade to FREE ADMISSION TO all EVENTS.

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