MLADEN STROPNIK: WIENER AND FRIES –
with Saša Bezjak, Siniša Labrović, Nataša Skušek |
Award Cesare dell’Acqua 2022 –
Curated by: Majda Božeglav Japelj, Loža Gallery, Koper – 17.11.2023 – 21.01.2024 (extended until 28.01.2024) |
Opening. Friday, 17. 11. 2023, at 18.00 |
Acknowledgments: Jaka Babnik, Martin Petrič, Gregor Podnar, Mateja Pucko, Muzej-Museo Lapidarium, Novigrad-Cittanova
Mladen Stropnik, swollow us, 2017, object
Mladen stropnik received the Cesare dell'Acqua Award at the International Painting Ex-tempore Piran 2022. The award is named after the 19th century artist born in Piran, who established himself in the wider European area as a painter of portraits, historical and genre motifs. Last year's international jury recognized Stropnik as an extremely interesting creator whose work deserved to be presented in the PCG's 2023 exhibition program. His exhibition entitled “wiener schnitzel french fries“, which is being prepared by the curator dr. Majda Božeglav Japelj, will be opened on Friday, 17 November 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the Loža Gallery in Koper. Stropnik ranks among the well-established representatives of the middle generation, who materialise their creativity in the field of contemporary visual art through a combination of different media, techniques and procedures. His recognizable personal style, which is rooted in Minimalist Aesthetics, is placed in the sphere of modern experimentation with innovative conceptual approaches.
In his works on paper, graphics, drawings, photographs, as well as sculptures and videos, he touches on various topics, including those with sexual content, which are the subject of the Koper exhibition. He illustrates them with a great deal of humor and disarming sincerity, as an echo of his personal and almost intuitive experience of the world. Some of the works in the exhibition will be in the form of NFTs- non-fungible tokens, digital art collectibles, a new-age phenomenon that allows the ownership of a certain value; for intangible objects, virtual drawings, or something in physical form. Viewing is possible by using a QR code. Some works, like the one on the cover of the invitation, “Crystals of Salt", can be viewed on a mobile phone with the help of the artiviva.com application. On the occasion of his first personal exhibition in Slovenian Istria, the author will also create an art object, a “mrč", or two.
In the style of his often used practice of interweaving and exchanging his creative energies with other authors, three more artists will participate in the exhibition: Saša Bezjak, Siniša Labrović and Nataša Skušek. The exhibition is created in collaboration with Gregor Podnar, Vienna.
Mladen Stropnik was born in Slovenj Gradac and grew up in Velenj. He graduated from the Ljubljana Academy of Fine Arts and Design, where he also completed his master's degree. He received the student Prešeren award. He exhibited his works at personal and group exhibitions at home and abroad. He lives and works in Ljubljana.
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with Gregor Podnar, Vienna.
Special thanks: Jaka Babnik, Martin Petrič, Gregor Podnar, Mateja Pucko, Museum-Museo Lapidarium, Novigrad-Cittanova.
Mladen Stropnik, maki, 2023, drawing
Mladen Stropnik, drevo, 2022, picture
