EXHIBITIONS AND OPENINGS
Opening of Primož Bizjak’s exhibition “The Grey World is Blue and Green” at the Piran Civic Gallery
The first major solo exhibition of internationally acclaimed Slovenian artist Primož Bizjak (1976, Šempeter pri Gorici), who resides abroad, will open on Friday, 16 May 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Piran Civic Gallery. The exhibition enriches the Coastal Galleries of Piran’s program by highlighting contemporary photography on regional, national, and international levels. Bizjak belongs to the generation of Slovenian artists who gained prominence in the early 2000s. Extended periods spent abroad and his artistic endeavors have contributed to his international recognition, with initial successes in Italy, followed by Spain and Germany. His photographic works are part of esteemed public and private collections in Slovenia and abroad.
Bizjak’s favored subject is the ever-changing natural and urban landscape, focusing on abandoned spaces marked by the past, featuring unique architecture or natural vistas. This is evident in his “Apuan Alps” series, which forms the core of the Piran exhibition, including the 2015 piece “Grotta del Monte Corchia” from the Coastal Galleries’ collection. The exhibition, curated by renowned artist Ištvan Išt Huzjan, offers an overview of Bizjak’s work from 2004 to 2020. The selection of works dialogues with Srečko Kosovel’s poem “The Whole World is Like” (Integrals ’26) and includes series such as: Venice (2005–2006), Sarajevo (2004–2006), Apuan Alps (2014–2017), and Munich Zoo (2017–2020).
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Gregor Podnar Gallery in Vienna.
Opening of Andrej Škufca’s exhibition “Intruders, Uninvited into Chaos” at Monfort Gallery in Portorož and Loža Gallery in Koper
Andrej Škufca (1987) is part of the intermediate generation of Slovenian visual artists who have been intensely exploring changes in contemporary Slovenian art for over a decade, particularly through innovative tools and advanced creative methods. With the project “Intruders, Uninvited into Chaos,” Škufca continues his investigation into the infrastructural aspects of global techno-ecology, where fiction, technological design, and synthetic material production processes symbolically and materially converge.
The works in the exhibition explore the seemingly autonomous nature of technological systems, which, increasingly interconnected globally, are undergoing an epochal expansion. Referencing post-Eastern and post-truth contemporaneity—a term describing situations where objective facts have less influence on public opinion than emotions and personal beliefs—the project critically analyzes the role of humans and humanity in the context of Eastern Europe. This 21st-century technological shift is recognized by the new generation of visual artists as a distinctive and problematic feature of the current era.
The exhibition is curated by Vienna-based curator and architect Laura Amann. The project is a collaboration between the Coastal Galleries and various national and European visual art centers (Zavod Projekt Atol, Ljubljana; New Jörg Gallery, Vienna; Ravnikar Gallery, Ljubljana; Kucca, Zagreb).
The exhibition will open on Friday, 13 June 2025, at Monfort Gallery in Portorož. A press conference will be held the day before, on Thursday, 12 June 2025, at 12:00 PM at Loža Gallery in Koper.
Italian Council Award to the Coastal Galleries
Francesco Bertocco: Interrupting the Cycle of Control – Research Trip to Brazil (20 April–26 May 2025)
Artist Francesco Bertocco, along with co-curators Mariagrazia Muscatello and Gabi Scardi, will embark on field and archival research in Brazil as part of the project “Interrupting the Cycle of Control.” The trip is funded by additional resources successfully obtained by the Coastal Galleries of Piran through the international Italian Council call. The team will present the project and the activities of the Coastal Galleries at various museums and public institutions (MAC Gallery in São Paulo, Teatro della Cultura Artistica, Museum of Madness in Juqueri, etc.). The project will be showcased in an exhibition at the Coastal Galleries in the autumn.
Opening of Tinka Leskovšek’s exhibition “Pure Grace” at the Herman Pečarič Gallery in Piran
During the summer months, illustrator Tinka Leskovšek (1982, Koper), now residing in Venice, will present her work in Piran. She studied Art Pedagogy in Ljubljana and has actively collaborated with the Koper Theatre as a set designer for several years. Her early illustrations accompanied children’s books from the Center for Communication, Hearing, and Speech in Portorož. In recent years, with meticulous precision and the use of fine brushes, she paints animals and plants. Her work is diverse, and the illustrations cater to both children and adults.
During the exhibition, a series of Saturday creative workshops will be organized for local art enthusiasts and beyond, as part of the Creative Workshops (ArtLab Meduza) project. In addition to the artist, the workshops will be led by artist Vasko Vidmar, guest educator Andreja Ozebek, and Ana Papež, the exhibition curator. Workshop dates will be announced in June. The exhibition will open on Thursday, 19 June 2025.
Opening of Ana Čigon and Vesna Bukovec’s exhibition “Work in Progress. Deceptive Working Time” at the Meduza Gallery in Koper
The exhibition is the second winning project of the “Open Doors” public call by the Coastal Galleries of Piran from last year.
Slovenian visual artists Ana Čigon and Vesna Bukovec jointly presented the project Work in Progress. Deceptive Working Time. It represents the third phase of a multi-year artistic-curatorial research titled Work in Progress, carried out collectively by Vesna Bukovec, Tia Čiček, and Ana Čigon. The focus will be on transformations in working time, offering a vital perspective on contemporary working conditions.
The research aims to develop visions for the future that overcome apathy and the belief that there are no alternatives to constant profit growth, instead emphasizing well-being and human connection.
The project includes drawings on paper, murals, videos, small objects, and installations. Work in Progress is an evolving project, with content and visual forms developing progressively. Some existing works from earlier phases will be presented, along with new pieces specifically tied to the theme of Deceptive Working Time. The exhibition will open on Saturday, 21 June 2025, at 8:00 PM, as part of Summer Museum Night.
EVENTS AND GUIDED TOURS
Presentation of the catalogue Gani Llalloshi – Nostalgia at the Piran Civic Gallery
To mark the conclusion of the solo exhibition by renowned artist Gani Llalloshi, a presentation of the multilingual exhibition catalogue will be held on Tuesday, 6 May 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Piran Civic Gallery. The Slovenian edition, with translations in Italian, English, and Albanian, offers deep insight into the Nostalgia project, in which the artist explores themes of lost time and longing for the past.
The catalogue is enriched by an introduction from Mara Ambrožič Verderber, Director of the Coastal Galleries of Piran, and a critical essay by Kosovar philosopher Shkëlzen Maliqi. The latter explains the dynamic aesthetic of the work, which combines delicacy, unease, and sincerity. The presentation and conversation with the artist will be led by catalogue curator Matic Bukovac.
Guided Tour of the Exhibition Entanglements
The group exhibition Intrecci is the result of a collaboration between the Coastal Galleries of Piran and the Civic Gallery of Labin. It brings together young Istrian artists who, through various media and approaches, engage with common cultural and social themes such as migration, the environment, and scientific research.
For these artists, the Monfort Gallery represents an opportunity for dynamic dialogue between personal expressions and shared concerns. Before the exhibition closes, a free guided tour will take place on Friday, 23 May 2025, at 4:30 PM, led by curator Stephanie Peršić.
Summer Museum Night at the Coastal Galleries of Piran
Summer Museum Night is the largest promotional initiative for Slovenian museums, galleries, and other institutions working in the fields of cultural heritage, art, culture, and history. Since 2002, it has been organized under the auspices of the Slovenian Museum Association. This year, it will take place on Saturday, 21 June.
The Coastal Galleries of Piran will participate with events in Koper and Piran:
- At the Piran Civic Gallery, there will be two guided tours of the exhibition The Grey World is Blue and Green by Primož Bizjak, led by guest curator Ištvan Išt Huzjan: at 5:00 PM in Slovenian and 6:00 PM in Italian.
- At the Loža Gallery in Koper, at 7:00 PM, there will be a guided tour of the exhibition Intruders, Uninvited into Chaos and a meet-the-artist session with Andrej Škufca.
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
Once Again This Year: Mornarček Kindergarten of Piran at the Herman Pečarič Gallery
The long-standing and fruitful collaboration with Mornarček Kindergarten in Piran continues this year. The youngest children will showcase their creative works produced throughout the year. During their visit to the gallery, the young explorers will also reproduce works by local painter Herman Pečarič, from the gallery’s permanent collection.
This year’s UNESCO project aims to motivate children, pupils, and students to explore the world of textiles, clothing, and traditional costumes—past and present—encouraging them to learn about cultural heritage in this area and to develop critical thinking on fast fashion and the environmental impact of the modern textile industry.
The traditional presentation of the children’s works, created during the year in the kindergarten’s creative workshops, will be on display from 27 May to 10 June 2025.
