IN PROGRESS

I have previously attended, and very much enjoyed, a couple of art trips organised by Knoll Galerie (one to Krakow and at least one other location in Poland, and one to Brno, as far as I recall), and am happy to see they are again organising trips post Covid. I am signing up for this trip, and this is what is known so far:

“Arrival 30.6. in the afternoon until Sunday 2.7.2023

For the second time we invite you to an art trip to Ljubljana! The capital of Slovenia has also developed rapidly in its art scene since the 1990s and, in addition to museums, has recently added an impressive exhibition hall. In the old town you will come across many works by the architect Jože Plečnik, inevitably the three-part bridge in the centre over the Ljubljanica.

In the field of contemporary art, Ljubljana has surprised us since the 1980s with critical artist collectives that (did) deal with the social issues of Yugoslavia and Slovenia, such as the groups IRWIN and Laibach. The share of video, photo, performance and digital art in the artistic production is also special.

The newest and most impressive place for contemporary art is the Cukrarna Gallery in the building of a former sugar refinery, whose interior surprises with its generous architecture. We will see works by nearly 60 Slovenian women artists since the 1990s and have a talk with the director and curator. Other program points include the Museum of Modern Art, numerous galleries and other exhibition venues. Meetings with artists, curators and a collector are part of the program.

We suggest arriving on Friday, late afternoon, to start our program, which will last until Sunday afternoon (around 2 or 3 pm).

You book your accommodation yourself, we suggest in the area of Kersnikova Street in the center and also close to the train station, for example B&B Slamič Hotel, City Hotel Ljubljana, Hotel Lev – we will send you a list of hotels after your reply. choose one of the hotels as a meeting point in the morning.

You also book the journey by yourself, we suggest by train (several connections daily for example from Vienna or Budapest), there are cheap tickets if you book early.

The detailed program available before the trip contains the exact addresses – so you can join the program at any time. Our guides are curators Lara Mejac and Ajda Ana Kocutar, excellent connoisseurs of the contemporary art scene in Ljubljana (in English). In the period before the trip we offer preparatory information on Slovenian art and architecture, books, links, etc. The price for participation in our program is € 120 / reduced € 90.”

Of the hotels suggested, I will most likely go for Hotel Lev, since it has a fitness room, and I need to do weight-bearing exercises, preferably daily.

I will go by train and spend a day or two at either end of the “official” programme.

I will definitely make a day trip to Maribor and, a.o., the newish museum of contemporary art there.