Slovenian Artists in Australia
Exhibition in Slovenian Religious and Cultural Centre
SS Cyril and Methodius, Melbourne, Victoria
Art is often easily criticized yet is highly appreciated. It is a commanding form of expression; it's evocative, empathetic and delicate in a number of ways. Art fulfills the needs of people in different ways, both for the artist and audience. It encapsulates ideas and messages; it can represent and portray feelings and emotions like few other fields beyond the arts.
The main stimulus and inspiration for the works on show are as diverse as the backgrounds of the artists themselves. The multiformity of skills, breadth and depth of talent further exemplify the extent to which each artist has a uniqueness and individual style, yet not too far distant from our predecessors.
The exhibition portrays a warmth and serenity that is generated from the works themselves. Goulburn River, by John D. Kodric is a classic example of this. His work reminiscent of the glorious Australian landscape. Veritably handled, Kodric's watercolours retain your attention and their beauty continuously draw you back for more.
In this exhibition the different genres are complimented by the applied styles. For example, Romana Favier-Zorzut's painterly approach exudes in an expressionistic manner. The luscious application of paint is clearly evident in all her paintings. In a sophisticated yet so-called naïve approach Zorka Cernjak has cleverly portrayed universal archetypes such as the bird and snake and visions of a journey, combined with strong human elements. Her use of multimedia in 'From the road to Kostevnica, Buckwheat grain' creates greater tangibility within her work and has much appeal to the audience. With subtlety, Liliana Eggleston has demonstrated a traditional approach to still life painting. In 'Autumn leaves and pomegranates', Eggleston's palette and soft brush strokes possess a romantic quality whilst capturing the warm radiance of the subject. In my own work I have tried to adopt a more post-modern approach which is stylistically appreciative of romantic, realistic and impressionistic religious iconography. 'Mother and child' seeks to capture and convey the emotional, sensual and spiritual elements, inviting the audience to experience this for themselves. Many other inspirational works, equal in stature and beauty include Jozica Gerden's 'Here I am Lord', Anne Zemlic's 'Nature Study 2', Mateja Simenko's 'Bottled up' series, the work by Draga Gelt and the lovely 'Calligraphy, lace on parchment' by Slava Burlovic.
The works on show aesthetically tantalize the viewer, reflecting the emergence of many talented artists. There is a freshness and joyfulness amongst the works. The multicultural boundaries overlap and intertwine as much as the subject matter and inspiration are being exonerated on the canvases. The artists of the Australian-Slovenian exhibition are providing a perfect opportunity for all viewers to be enriched by their artistic prowess. There is a universal unification of art and culture in this exhibition; it creates a presence few others can provide. With encouragement and determination we may continue see more of this diversity and artistic intelligence in the future. Despite being subjective, art is something we all can appreciate, at any level; emotional, spiritual, cultural and or social.
Marie Plut
