This AU Environment conceived in 1968-70, points out interesting lessons to learn! Go and read the artists text in this regards, you may understand things differently afterwards.
This exhibition, held at the Galerija Ravne na Koroškem, which is part of the Koroška Galerija Likovnih Umetnosti and shows there are mostly curated by Jernej Kožar, the main responsible of the collection of the Museum of Social Aesthetics, established there. In this perspective, the exhibition is to understand as the agreed commitment to realize regularly new works. How did we cooperate here? As usual, everything that bothers Pino Poggi bothers us, not only since 2019, when we officially took over responsibility for his entire AU estate, but since before, actually since the founding of our association. However, we seldom get credits from our public partners, which are so often in desperate need of our help, not understanding and realizing that we would need their support even more. However, these are discussions still to be held, still to be won… and not the discussions that should hinder cooperation.
On occasion of this exhibition, a small booklet was published. It was given for free to interested people, with the above mentioned and linked text of Pino Poggi and also, firstly to this exhibition, a short film documenting the installation and giving the artist some room for different, connected thoughts were realized by Uroš Zavodnik, a friend and experienced director, working since some years on portraits of artists. His documenting film realized on occasion of the AU Environment “Ikarios” or the “Adoration of Ikarios” can be seen on here.
Generally, we are mostly very happy with the cooperation we do concerning the AU estate of Pino Poggi, even when there are always nervous moments, we always produce great results, that would have never been the same, if certain discussions were not held and certain comfort zones would not have been crossed.
The only regret we always and always anew have is that we are not accepted as equal partners, by most Slovenian public institutions. Slowly we are getting there, but much too often this leads to bad communication after the project. It would be most productive to discuss what happened, what can be improved and what should not, etc. This moment, so important to independent institutions like ours, is actually disrespected due to the lack of understatement of positions within the cultural scene of an evolved democratic and responsible environment. This is a big issue, interfering massively with every independent cultural production in post-socialist countries, even more so, if the production in question is done outside the main urban centers.
Eviva l’Arte Utile, also this time, during the 3-month exhibition period many people could enjoy the impulses AU hast to offer. More of that, please!