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2024
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Kindly invited to the opening of the exhibition "NEVENKA"by Zoran Srdić Janežič and Tom Winkler, on Thursday, 12 December 2024, at 7 pm, at Alkatraz Gallery, ACC Metelkova mesto.
Also participating it the exhibition: Ema Ajster, Sara Filipovič (photo: Andraž Purg), Eva Jera Hanžek, Tamara Jelušič, Meta Kastelic, Anja Kočar, Jasmina Kovač, Pia Križnar, Gorazd Krnc, Simon Macuh, Eva Mihevc, Olga Milić, Slađana Mitrović, Ajda Podgorelec, Valentin Radulović, Nina Slejko Blom, Bor Šparemblek, Lucija Laura Schwarzbartl (LLS), Mia Zaletel, Lara Zirijanov, Ana Žele, archive of Acadamy of Fine Arts and Design of University of Ljubljana and Nada Žgank (photoreportage). Opening ceremony will include a performative presence of Nevenka Pečlin.
Nevenka Pečlin
Nevenka Pečlin is a long-time model at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana. Her charisma, dedication and special relationship with visual arts students have earned her the status of a cult personality in the Slovene art scene. Despite the fact that her presence is imprinted in many student works, she often remains in the minds of many solely as an anonymous companion of the process of learning and creation. This curriculum is based on practices that derive, one could say, from the Renaissance, and more specifically, from academic realism systematically. Posing is an activity that, in Slovenia, takes place almost exclusively in the context of the study process and rarely comes to the forefront of contemporary art, as it is not a necessary component of an artistic work. The public is only introduced to the success or product of posing through the exhibition of student work at semester exhibitions.
The project by the artists Zoran Srdić Janežič and Tom Winkler highlights just that — the invaluable contribution of artistic models, especially Nevenka Pečlin, to the development of young artists, whilst, at the same time, it thematises the broader history and role of artistic models and the value of intergenerational respect. The exhibition is conceived as a femmage to Nevenka Pečlin's work and as a tribute to the hidden efforts of models, who are often perceived as mere objects of learning or representation.
Nevenka's dedication, personality and expression are the fundamental components of an artistic work that go beyond the mere mechanical representation of bodies. As an energetic person who has been actively working with young artists for many years, she joins the project as an equal partner and a symbol of intergenerational integration. The exhibition shall present works on loan from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, artworks acquired through a public call, and a photo reportage of Nevenka Pečlin's home, full of fine details and also artworks sold or bestowed to Nevenka by the students — the reportage photographs were taken by Nada Žgank. Nevenka Pečlin sometimes tells stories to the students while posing and a small part of these stories will be presented in the form of a video interview.
Special emphasis will be placed on the opening event, where Nevenka Pečlin will sit on the Ljubljana bench designed by Jože Plečnik. Thus, she will be highlighted in the gallery space as the central artistic (performative) element of the exhibition. The bench symbolises a boundary, which can also be interpreted as a boundary between the public and the private — similar to the work of models, who are seen as figures, but their role often remains invisible. After the exhibition, the artists will propose that a shortened version of the bench, with orange painted wooden seating parts, be installed in Ljubljana in one of the locations among the other benches, which will be thematically related to the exhibition.
Artistic models through history: from anonymity to recognition (in the context of Western art)
From the 18th to the 20th century, models played a key role in the artistic process, although they often remained in the background and without recognition. In the 18th century, they worked within a strict academic tradition, where their poses were highly regulated to conform to classical beauty ideals. They were mostly men coming from the lower social classes; posing was their means of earning money, and they did not receive much recognition for their contribution to art.
In the 19th century, with the rise of Realism and Impressionism, models became more visible and individualised. In Paris, which used to be the centre of artistic activity, artists such as Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas and Auguste Rodin explored realistic and intimate depictions of their models. Models became key muses of that period, although their work was often stigmatised by society.
The transition to the 20th century brought greater recognition to artistic models, especially with the rise of Modernism. Artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse explored new forms and aesthetics, whereas models became active collaborators in the artistic process. Nudity became more accepted, and the models' presence enabled transitions into new artistic directions and techniques.
Mentorship+ and the connection to the role of models in art education
It is in this broader historical and social perspective that this year's Mentorship+ project, one of the core programmes of the Alkatraz Gallery, is situated. It is a programme that each year invites two artists: one who has an established position in the art world, and one who is just entering this space. Mentorship is based on a non-hierarchical and dialogical process that encourages mutual learning and exploration of different perspectives and ways of working.
This year's collaboration includes Zoran Srdić Janežič and Tom Winkler; through a process of exploration, they have conceived and developed a common theme related to the role of artistic models. In addition to their artistic work, both artists make puppets, props and sets for productions in the fields of performing arts and film, respectively, emphasising that models often remain invisible in the studios, but nevertheless play a key role in the development of artistic skills and the creation of artworks — somewhat in the same way that fine art remains hidden in other media (theatre, film, photography...).
Drawing from a model is an essential component of the study of fine art and design. Since the Renaissance, the representation of the human figure has been considered the best way to develop drawing and sculpting skills. Today, this process involves both the technical mastery of the body and its placement in space, as well as a psychological moment that cannot be achieved with other motifs. The models are therefore more than just assistants — they are co-creators of the artistic process. Nevenka Pečlin unites many generations of Slovene artists and is truly a cult figure. The artists thought that her presentation in a retrospective exhibition of different styles and techniques would be extremely interesting, because regardless of the diversity of her depictions, she would be united by a common motif — Nevenka as the one and only and unique.
Zoran Srdić Janežič, Ana Grobler, Sebastian Krawczyk
