Mesec fotografije Ljubljana 06
Janez Korošin / Grafiti Janez Korošin in Lado Jakša / multivision

02 October 2007 Mesec fotografije 2007
Janez Korošin / Grafiti
Janez Korošin in Lado Jakša / multivision

As an older generation photographer, Janez Korošin is reputed to be an author who was greatly involved in landscape. It was not only one fine art outline that he used, but took into account contemporary tendencies that shaped the Slovenian photography in the previous decades. His latest series of work includes something which might seem mundane, for often one does not even notice how a certain place changes, especially its details. Today one is bombarded with a myriad of visual information and thus focuses only on the most useful data, which graffiti certainly isn't. Therefore one misses actual galleries of figures, fine art narratives and diverse styles, which are of different qualities, but represent a signature activity of those who operate outside the official institutions but voice their opinion on the society nonetheless.
When Korošin decided to document graffiti, he above all demonstrated the breadth of his understanding of different fine art issues. It was evident already in his previous works, but now he found a completely new field of interest, which is in character substantially different from the one he was engaged in before. For his latest shots were made in the city, and the subject they embrace belongs to a younger generation, besides, he also took on a technical approach that includes above all a first-hand documentation of a ready-made object. In this he did not believe important the relationship between the basis and the representation, the original or copy, what mattered was the result, which was a first-rate photograph. He probably decided to photograph graffiti also because he was impressed by its extreme colourfulness that is not found in his older works. As an author who had repeatedly tried to explore different possibilities of the medium of photography he thus tackled a completely new topic. In it he discovered forms with which he had not dealt but as a mature artist was able to recognise and, most importantly, interpret, which becomes of greatest value especially when he portrays it in broader context, for example by inclusion of architecture.

Boris Gorupič: excerpt from the text
»Interpretation of Colourful Fine Art Messages«

Biography:

Janez Korošin, born on 12 August 1935 in Ljubljana. For his work Korošin has received numerous accolades and awards. In 1977, he was awarded with the Master of Photography title by the Yugoslav Photographic Association. In 1996, the Slovenian Photographic Association bestowed him the Janez Puhar award for life achievements in the field of photography. In 2000, FIAP presented him with the FIAP Excellency distinction (EFIAP).