Boštjan Drinovec: Tree Particle

22 April 2014 > 16 May 2014 Kindly invited to the opening of the "Tree Particle" exhibition by Boštjan Drinovec, on Tuesday, 22nd April, at 8 pm in the Alkatraz Gallery, ACC Metelkova mesto.

Boštjan Drinovec is a sculptor who has been creating in his garage studio at the Autonomous Cultural Centre Metelkova mesto (Metelkova City) for two decades. His studio is like an experimental lab where creations of various kinds are taking shape; from mobile-sound sculptures to small figures of rebels. In this creative space ideas and aesthetically perfected objects of a reflective connection of contents and form are being born. The contents are directly linked to the process of the sculpture’s production, as the author keeps upgrading his technique and the methods of production of each work during the work procedure.
The current exhibition at the Alkatraz Gallery, entitled Tree Particle, is conceived as an observation of the process of nature’s changing. Synthetic trees constructed of microchips, cardboard boxes, plastic hoses and similar, have grown on metal plinths. The tree as an artificial construct has adjusted to the urban way of life, offering to nature lovers a particle of natural enjoyment, when strolling about the gallery space as observers. The tree particle of Boštjan Drinovec opens up a different look on human’s relation toward nature.
»It is in human nature to want to explain the world surrounding him, and find some sense for it. However, subordination of the world is also very often in his nature. Amongst trees he constructs streets and houses, draws water from the depths and conducts it back to a drain... When he wants to take advantage of the Sun’s energy he builds devices that transform it into energy, even when the construction of these devices takes more energy than they would yield in their life expectancy. Meanwhile trees around us are growing and performing the above mentioned tasks successfully and sustainedly. Tree particle therefore addresses the question whether humanity controls nature and technology, or is it the other way round; or neither of it. But the outset is only a background; whatever happens, only happens at the image level, at the contact of printed and spatial forms, and the logic of the construction of a material integrity. The experience is intended for the viewer when he/she gets lost in the woods of ‘particles’, and finds his/her own view.« (Boštjan Drinovec)
Regardless of the degree of technological progress, it seems it is nature that still remains more efficient. LED lights are still energetically dissipative in comparison to fire-flies, and the most complex of things in the universe as known to us, is still exactly our brain. So let’s use it for our own creation of the experience of ‘artificial nature'. At the exhibition Boštjan Drinovec offers one of possible looks on nature, by the means of sensation perception leading the viewer through the woods composed of singular particles of a subjective view.

Jadranka Plut

Boštjan Drinovec (1973) has finished his master's degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana, in 2001. Since 2008 he is an assistant professor, and teaches sculpture at the Department of Design (Industrial and Unique Design course). During years of his artistic practice he has won several awards ("The Eye and the Spirit" Mayors Award, Ljubljana City Hall 2005; Award for outstanding achievement in the field of sculpture, University of Ljubljana, 2006). He has participated in several solo and group exhibitions at home and abroad, and his works are works are placed in many public places. He is an ACC Metelkova meso artist.

Photographies by: Sunčan Stone