Work from... Slovenia

Curator from MG Petra Ciupková

Presentation of selected works from past successes at Slovenian Biennials of Visual Communication. Contemporary visual communications in Slovenia are based on a strong 20th-century tradition. Since the 1950's, Slovene designers have actively participated in international developments and one of the very early Icograda congresses (1966) was organised in the ancient city of Bled, in north-western Slovenia. Many native designers have studied abroad and returned to Slovenia with valuable experience, which they have incorporated into their teaching and everyday practice. The first university-level programme in design was organised within the Academy of Fine Arts in the capital Ljubljana, in the 1980's. As noted by certain jury members at the Biennials of Visual Communication in previous years, the general standard of visual communication in Slovenia is very high, but perhaps lacks volume in terms of outstanding projects. The reason for this lack of particular excellence could be that Slovenia still finds itself in a transitional period, in which quick and easy profits, combined with clients who have little or no understanding of quality design, are setting the norms of the marketplace. While the eclecticism and excitement of the early digital transitional period has not yet completely cooled off, Slovene designers are steadily delving deeper into modes of reasoning and problem-solving that avoid tinkering about with too much technology. This can definitely be said of type design, which turned its back on the de-constructive trials of the 1990's and faced off with serious projects involving typefaces for reading. Maturity is definitely on the horizon and our hope is that all-embracing globalisation does not do too much damage to our local identity.