Museum of Architecture and Design and Centre for Creativity are delighted to share exciting updates and insights from the vibrant design scene in Slovenia. We’ll highlight some select innovative minds, pioneering projects and exciting opportunities that make this regions field of art and design a dynamic hub.

• A selection of projects for the online catalog of occasional gifts from the Republic of Slovenia | MADE IN SLOVENIA brand

In April 2024, the Center for Creativity/MAO published a public invitation to submit proposals for the online catalog of the line of occasional gifts of the Republic of Slovenia under the MADE IN SLOVENIA brand in the selection of the Center for Creativity. According to the public call, 298 applications were received; the expert commission (composed of Maja Bahar, National Museum of Slovenia; Barbara Hiršman, Protocol of the Republic of Slovenia; Barbara Jaki, National Gallery; Emil Kozole, Studio People; Barbara Predan, Academy of Fine Arts and Design; Maja Vardjan, Museum of Architecture and Design and Yasmin Martin Vodopivec, International Graphic Arts Center) unanimously selected 57 products. The selected products of Slovenian creators, designers, organizations and companies comply with the criteria of the public call and reflect visual and design excellence, the rich cultural, economic, environmental, technological or social identity and heritage of the Republic of Slovenia and the national brand I Feel Slovenia and Made in Slovenia. The products stand out for the quality of their design and manufacturing excellence, the use of sustainable materials, innovation, and to a large extent they were manufactured in Slovenia. They present the country as an example of good design and reflect the vision of modern Slovenia. The functionality of the selected products goes beyond mere decoration and represent clearly tangible stories. The catalog of selected works from this call will be presented in the fall of 2024.

Due to the exceptional response of partners and applicants, we at the Center for Creativity will upgrade the CzK selection and continue the public call in the coming years. An important goal of the CzK public appeal is the planned promotion of quality selection and the development of this type of production. The next public call is expected to be published in the fall of 2024.

• Two Centre for Creativity nominees among the recipients of the A’ Design Award

The A’ Design Award and Competition is one of the largest, most prestigious and influential awards for design in the world and one of the highest achievements in design. The A’ Design Award Winner logo symbolizes the outstanding design excellence of your products, projects and services. The renowned international design award is organized in many categories and reaches a wide audience every year. The ultimate purpose of the award is to highlight good design and to ensure publicity and recognition for the participants and especially the winners through the A’ Design Award.

This year, the winners include two winners nominated by the Center for Creativity:

Sara Badovinac and Sara Škarica (Sara&Sara), who conducted extensive research on various methods of art display, from traditional gallery showcases to dynamic street fairs. Their research delved into nuanced ways of engaging with artworks, whether presented individually or as part of a collection. They carefully studied examples in various platforms, including galleries, street fairs, retail spaces and more.

Anže Sekelj and Staš Vrenko (Hex Haus), who designed the HEX Cor digital polyphonic synthesizer with a capacitive keyboard, potentiometers for signal modulation and an adjustable loop. Also available as a DIY kit, the instrument design is optimized for use in a variety of contexts focusing on educational and performative aspects. The components that make up the instrument are 100% interchangeable, which favors the right to repair, ease of assembly and sustainable long-term use. With this approach, they try to bring electronic music to a wider audience.

• The 28th Biennial of Design

Museum of Architecture and Design in cooperation with the Centre for Creativity are pleased to announce the fast approaching 28th edition of the Biennial of Design (BIO), Europe’s longest-standing design biennial, opening on November 21. Titled Double Agent and curated by Alexandra Midal, BIO celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024.

Alexandra Midal is a professor at the University of Art and Design HEAD in Geneva and Head of the Department of Critical Thinking at Ensci-Les Ateliers in Paris. A distinguished art and design historian, she combines practice and theory-based research as an artist-curator, theoretician and film essayist. Her research explores the blind spots and grey areas of design history. “I am thrilled to work with the BIO team for the next edition of the Ljubljana Design Biennial. This event provides a unique opportunity to engage in a dialogue on historical and contemporary design issues. My commitment is to illuminate alternative design perspectives and the diverse voices within the field from an international standpoint. I am deeply interested in reevaluating the concept of a Double Agent, which will uncover itself as a narrative linking a seemingly mundane flower to its hidden, cryptic, and secretive role in shaping identities and politics. I am excited to showcase that BIO is not just an exhibition but also a platform, a laboratory for exploration, and a crossroads for research and societal engagement throughout its entire duration.” – Alexandra Midal, curator of BIO28.

In addition, Emma Pflieger has been selected as the assistant curator. She is a French designer and co-founder of the innovative design studio Studio Pflieger-Foeglé, which employs a research-driven cross-disciplinary approach to craft spaces, installations, and graphic design.

“Since its inception at the height of the modernist movement in Slovenia, BIO has witnessed numerous shifts and developments within the discipline of design. By breaking away from the narrow and strictly disciplinary concept of design, the last four editions of BIO have promoted extensive investigations of various interdisciplinary intersections. Through her ground breaking research and projects, Alexandra Midal is an uncompromising curator who excels at establishing and maintaining such intersections. Therefore, we are thrilled to have her as the curator of BIO28, scheduled for November 2024.” – Maja Vardjan, director of MAO.

• Centre for Creativity participates at Vienna Design Week!

We’re excited to announce the presentation of Slovenian artists at Vienna Design Week from Friday 20 to Sunday 29 September. This year, the festival will take place in Village im Dritten, an urban development project in the heart of Vienna’s Landstraße district. The festival’s headquarters will also host the Centre for Creativity’s Crafting Futures exhibition.

The exhibition, which addresses the highly relevant topic of linking contemporary design production with the rich crafts and trades heritage, was first presented at the Museum of Architecture and Design, and later at the Triennial of Handicrafts at the Carinthian Regional Museum and the Posavje Museum Brežice. The project was developed under the auspices of the European platform Distributed Design, where 10 Slovenian creatives received financial incentives or mentoring to co-produce limited-edition series.

The exhibition will be accompanied by an opening social event with the featured creatives on Saturday, 21 September, and a panel discussion with both the creatives and international experts in the field of design and art. The panel will explore the integration of traditional crafts and trades techniques with contemporary design approaches, raising and analysing issues such as the role of cultural institutions, sustainability, ecology, heritage and the impact of globalisation.

Participating artists:
Rok Oblak I Luka Pleskovič I Darja Malešič I Maruša Mazej I Pjorkkala I Andraž Rudi Vrhovšek I Lucija Perko I Lara Baler I Boris Ouček I Nina Vastl Štefe I Luka Bernik I Črt Štrubelj