20 israeli exhibiting artists
In co-operation and with the support of
the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Israeli Embassy in Slovenia

May 16 - May 17, 2005
Castle Museum
Lubljana, Slovenia
Curator: Leon Zakrajsek/Slovenia

ISRAELI ARTISTS EXHIBITION IN SLOVENIA
 

In co-operation and with the support of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Embassy in Slovenia

March 17 - May 16, 2005

DISPLAYS:

Castle Museum - Lubljana, Slovenia

CURATOR:

Leon Zakrajsek/Slovenia

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate the organizers of this exhibition and the exhibiting artists. There is nothing like culture to bring people closer together, no matter where they are located on the globe. An exhibition like this one emphasizes our commonality, uniting people around beautiful things and creative works of art of all forms. I am especially pleased that this exhibition is opening in Ljubljana on Israel's Independence Day, offering our friends in Slovenia the opportunity to get a taste of Israeli culture.

Yael Rubinstein, Ambassador of Israel in Slovenia

PRESENTATION OF ARTISTS FROM ISRAEL IN SLOVENIA

As a member of the scientific committee of the international graphic exhibition in Cremona I suggested in 2003 to invite artists from Israel to the next exhibition. My proposal was accepted and the exhibition director, Prof. Vladimiro Elivieri, entrusted me with a task of selecting the Israeli artists. I immediately sought to establish contacts and was helped in my pursuit by Mr. Adi Rosenfeld. Thus began the cooperation between myself and the ICU International Cultural Union from Haifa. This non-profit art organisation constantly presents Israeli and international artists in Israel and therefore plays an important role the artistic scene in Haifa and its vicinity, but also in other parts of the country. Together, we showed two independent exhibitions and four women artists from Slovenia participated in the Femina project in Haifa this spring. The ICU collaborators administer several galleries in Israel and promote the development and the popularisation of contemporary arts in Israel. Like other private and non-profit organisations dedicated to art they confront difficulties. Times in which we live are singularly unfavourable to art, and artists are confronted with similar difficulties around the globe. Individuals or private non-profit associations are exposed to numerous obstacles. In my opinion, state institutions do not offer sufficient help and fail to appreciate the efforts of individuals. A rare exception in this tale is the Embassy of Israel in Vienna, which coordinated our efforts and offered precious and very much appreciated help. Despite the difficulties the ICU works without respite and expands both its fields of expertise and its organisation. Now they would like to "export" their art abroad. I am pleased that together we were able to make a step forward in presenting two of their authors to the public in Cremona a month ago and now Israeli art is also coming to Slovenia. It is every artist's and art association's wish to present their work because this is at the same time a confirmation and a verification, both of which every artist needs. The driving force behind the ICU artists is the team composed of the association's Chairman, Mr. Zvi Israel, and its General Manager, Mr. Lev Kiperman whose devotion and expertise are crucial for the artists in Israel. I admire their enthusiasm and energy that distinguish this international association. Its incredible activity has long ago outgrown the frameworks that are usually applied. While, hopefully, the art experts will judge the merits of the exhibited artworks, I dedicated my contribution to the genesis of the project and the circumstances that made the presentation possible. I expect that the Slovene public will receive the artists from Israel favourably and I extend to the artists my warmest congratulations and wish them a successful breakthrough in Europe.

Leon Zakrajsek