Tadej Pogačar Galerija P74
e-mail interview, June 2000

Galerija P47, Prušnikova 74, Ljubljana

What can a small and delicate art scene expect from a large international contemporary art manifestation?
At the end of November 1998 when the news was published that Manifesta 3 will be hosted in Ljubljana the protagonists of the contemporary art scene became euphoric and worried at the same time (the worries emerged mainly from the not yet forgotten bad experience from the European Month of Culture). What is there to do in order for this event not to turn out to be the swan song of the local visual scene?
The first meeting, which I called on Prušnikova 74 was intended mainly at the issues of what can Manifesta bring (in the sense of encouragement as well as symbolic and material benefits) to the local art scene, which operates without a suitable structure; at the same time the meeting was also intended for unifying our ranks. We were checking the possibilities of forming an informal group of artists, gallery owners, curators, who would (during M3) represent the Ljubljana art scene. At this I originated from my own experience of co-operation at Manifesta 1, within the frame of which the artistic group B.a.d. carried out a similar project, which was financially very well backed up from the side of the town authorities and Manifesta 1 - the basic concept of which was the development of group projects and co-operation.
Through our discussion the meeting on Prušnikova drifted away from Manifesta itself towards more general problems, which are constantly encountered by non-profit organisations and individuals who work in the field of contemporary art in Slovenia. Manifesta was more of an excuse, a trigger, for us to start communicating amongst each other, an excuse for a certain level of self-recognition and co-operation to take place as well as raise the self-confidence of the local art scene. The discussion showed the necessity of a more active co-operation amongst non-profit art centres, as well as the necessity for them to act jointly towards the outside.
I see the purpose of the meetings from "bellow", from the base, in the fact that in a country that has not formed clear visions and established structures of operations in the field of contemporary culture, we start to form proposals dealing with the cultural policy by ourselves.
As regards Manifesta 3 and its co-operation with the local scene the initiative and interest should of course also come from their side, and at the same time the town should ensure abundant financing for informal initiatives and non-profit institutions dealing with contemporary art.

The exhibition "Panoramika" which can be seen at the gallery P74 until 3rd July 2000 is part of the cycle "Dialogues/Confrontations", which was prepared as a parallel to Manifesta 3. If Manifesta deals with the boarder and defence strategies, this exhibition deals with the personal panoramic view, which usually precedes the setting of certain boarders. We are presenting a young female artist and a project which is an artistic collaboration. I think that in this sense the exhibition is typical for the content line, which is held by P 74 during the past three years.

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