NATIONAL PRIDE

Naslov / Title: National pride (opus Empire strikes back & forward)
Lokacija / Exhibition space: DLUL Gallery, Breg 22, Ljubljana
Datum / Date: 12 – 23 August 2015 / Opening performance (ZSJ): 7 pm
Umetnika / Authors: Gorazd Krnc, Zoran Srdić Janežič
Šivanje kipov / Sewing of sculptures: Maja Peterlin
Modeliranje glave in izdelava kalupov, ulivanje in patiniranje glav / Modeling of head and making of moulds, casting in poliurethane and gilding: Zoran Srdić Janežič
Special thanks: Maja Peterlin (šivanje kipov), Atelje Mali, Aco, Gio oblikovanje
Foto / Photo: Zala Kalan
Produkcija / Production: Institute for Arts Gulag
Producent in besedilo / Producer and text: Jana Putrle Srdić
Projekt so podprli / Project was supported by: Municipality of Ljubljana / Mestna občina Ljubljana

After last year’s exhibition at the Ljubljana City Hall, where began the opus of Empire stikes back & forward, the artists once again hit on the other location. While in first part pursuing the history of the city of Ljubljana’s two tousands years predecesor Emona and questioning of war violence and violence against vulnerable groups now with the theme of national pride artists not only reopen historical issues of Central Europe – as was the work outlined – but also directly interfere in the political sphere.
And what hass art with politics? As a global company we are today faced with problems such as the politicization of terrorism, opportunistic abolition of civil rights, the financial meltdown of 2007, the criminalization of civil protest or ineffectiveness of local policies against global capital. The latter is probably also one of the associations with the phrase national pride, which is problematic precisely because of their discharge or prenabitosti the means. It had a national pride historically unifying function and survival; or in the reflections of contemporary “global” man but it appears; Is not the artist himself nationally something in your meditation must necessarily be overcome; and finally, how could the Slovenian national pride? At the national symbols and documents such as flags, maps, carnations or constitution visitor can establish a relationship to this phrase and it contemplates a step further than irony and criticism of current government policies.
Statues made of textille continue Srdić Janežič’s line of narratives that of last year’s epic proportions corpses after a battle (with gilded heads of larger dimensions were occupying the entire historic atrium of City Hall) develop into a political irony and its accessories such as crocheted carnations and Prešern’s profiles even into a joke . Significantly kneeling statues in the corners complement the small statues, which were already present in previous exhibitions and two larger hammers in the middle of the fight. ZSJ’s as artist coming from Kranj – city with a rich history of the textile industry uses textille also as a maker of puppets.
Syntagma national pride contain so much tension, opposition, irony, cynicism or approving, in so far as it is the viewer and thinker willing to invest in it. Any pun this (dying?) … Looking at the three colored flowers between the buttocks (reference the author is here Hieronymus Bosch) it would be impossible to argue that the statues Srdić Janežič do not contain a humorous note, but this is – according to the materials used fabric – soft. In them it is much more Primary children play, adults artistic clumsiness, as well as vulgarity directly displayed violence – as required by the gravity of the situation. National pride is short, any empty signifier that through this you should stand behind it, and not serve as a barometer of today’s political situation in Slovenia.