Vladimir Leben Slike in prilike/Paintings and Parables
Vladimir Leben Slike in prilike/Paintings and Parables
31. 3.–21. 4. 2017
Slike in prilike izbrani narativ ne oziraje se na simbolno izro~ilo. V kolikor je slednje vseeno imanentno prisotno, najve~krat ni intencionalno, ampak prej posledica vpisanosti v kolektivno nezavedno, v mrežo arhetipov in emblemov. Ko na sliki prepoznamo, na primer, psa, nam takoj sproži asociacije na niz pomenov, ki so mu jih pripisovala posamezna ljudstva v svojih verovanjih in mitologijah, med katerimi gotovo najbolj izstopa njegova vloga psihopompa, ~lovekovega vodnika skozi temo onostranstva, neznanega podzemnega sveta, v katerem vladajo htoni~na ali lunina božanstva (recimo, v podobah Anubisa, Kerbera, Totha, Hekate, Hermesa, ~e se omejimo le na stare Egip~ane in Grke), prav tako kot je zvest spremljevalec svojega gospodarja v tuzemskem življenju. V slikarskih prilikah Vladimirja Lebna je sicer v ospredju pes kot ~ute~e bitje, ~lovekov sogovornik in njegov alter ego, ki uteleša enake zna~ajske lastnosti in prevzema ravnanja oziroma situacijske odzive, ki ga popolnoma izena~ujejo z obnašanjem ljudi. Razlikovalni semanti~ni šum avtor med drugim vzpostavlja tudi z naslovi slik, ki so lahko besedne igre (na primer, v nizu štirih del, od katerih je na vsakem napisan zlog, iz teh zlogov pa s pravilno razvrstitvijo v zaporedje nastane beseda Orthodogs, homonim pridevnika orthodox, ki v angleš~ini pomeni pravoveren, pravoslaven, a tudi obi~ajen, splošno priznan – morda je prav v zadnjih dveh pomenih paradoks Lebnovega slikovnega niza: ~isto obi~ajni psi dejansko niso to, kar naj bi bili na prvi pogled, ampak imajo nadrealni pridih zaradi atributov (trnkov v smr~kih), nepovezanih z ustaljenimi predstavami o psih (še zna~ke na njihovih telesih in v ozadjih krožne oblike, ki aludirajo na svetniški sij). Prav tako pomensko bogata je simbolika medveda, še enega Lebnu ljubega živalskega motiva. Tudi medved je, podobno kot pes, povezan z no~jo in luno ter zato z onostranstvom, v grški mitologiji spremlja Artemido, alkimisti so mu pripisovali vez z nagoni in s ~rnino kot barvo prasnovi; lahko je tudi prijazen varuh, naklonjen ~loveku, pooseblja tudi modrost in mo~ narave. Medvedi na Lebnovih slikah so ve~inoma dobrodušni veseljaki, ne glede na to, ali so upodobljeni sami ali v lovskih zgodbah in drugih živalskih združbah – humorni podtekst, ki ga umetnik artikulira s sofisticirano formalno govorico, se zdi samoumeven, vendar ne sam sebi namen, vedno se lahko spreobrne v svoje nasprotje, v zelo resen, celo tragi~en vidik resni~nosti, ki jo živimo, njenih zagat in protislovij. Druga~e povedano, Vladimir Leben ne preslikava realnega sveta, ampak na metafori~en na~in izreka njegov obstoj v paraboli~nih podobah, ki jih sproti izumlja in jim skozi subjektivno optiko daje ob~e~loveški pomen.
V zatohlem okolju naše podalpske province, še vedno prekrite z ideološko meglo »sodobne umetnosti«, reducirane na derivate konceptualizma in demagoško sklicevanje na tim. novomedijske prakse, velja ukvarjanje s slikarstvom za stvar preteklosti, še posebej, ~e se slikar ni odrekel figurativnosti in figurabilnosti. Zdi se, da so invencija, domišljija in métiersko znanje nezaželeni, produkcija oblik in podob narativnega zna~aja pa slepa ulica, ki se ji je treba na vsak na~in izogniti. A praksa v kulturno razvitejših (in s tem tudi tolerantnejših) okoljih razkriva obstoj številnih vzporednih poti, ki so hkrati kompleksne in sugestivne, prežete z novimi imaginariji in artikulacijskimi paradigmami, ne glede na to, ali nadgrajujejo klasi~ne motivne sklope ali izumljajo nove ikonografske vzorce. Druga~e povedano, sodobni svet in bivanjsko resni~nost je še zmerom mo~ reflektirati tudi na slikarski na~in, drzno in provokativno, duhovito in nekonvencionalno, analiti~no in subjektivno, v žlahtnem duhu humanisti~nega izro~ila in kriti~ne distance do že videnega in povedanega. Vladimir Leben s svojimi slikami razpira širok tematski in motivni spekter artikulacijskih možnosti novodobne figuralne govorice, ki temelji na pluralnosti narativov in njihovih interferenc. Z izjemno domišljijsko iznajdljivostjo in métiersko spretnostjo sestavlja vsebinsko bogate in likovno dognane slikarske kompozicije, ki jih pogosto niza v cikli~ne variacije in kromatske permutacije v relativno arbitrarnih registrih, tako da njegove podobe še bolj odstopajo od normativov realisti~nega diskurza. Ne zanima ga namre~ odslikavanje fizi~ne pojavnosti oseb in predmetov, ampak se osredoto~a na pripovedne in simbolne razsežnosti upodobitev, za katere marsikdaj najde izto~nice v preprostih, tako reko~ anekdoti~nih dogodkih in pojavih, ki jih likovno suvereno nadgradi v izvirne, ve~pomenske izjave in metafori~ne sintagme. Zgodbe oziroma vsebine, ki jih Leben vnaša v svoje upodobitve, so z vidika litrarne zvrstnosti najogosteje prilike ali parabole, torej tiste oblike pripovedi, ki v nasprotju z basnimi bolj kot na razum u~inkujejo na ~ustva ter poduk namesto iz negativnega razpleta izpeljejo iz pozitivnega vzgleda, empatije in identifikacijske drže. Sporo~anje skozi parabolo je na~eloma kodirano, uporablja razli~na retori~na sredstva, specifi~na za vsak primer posebej, podobno kot basen pa je lahko ironi~no, hudomušno in hkrati morali~no, ne nujno vzvišeno in pokroviteljsko. Prilike v verzih ali prozi so vzhodnjaškega izvora, še iz predkrš~anskih ~asov, ~eprav so najlepše in najbolj znane svetopisemske, predvsem novozavezne (iz Kristusovega javnega delovanja in prosvetljevanja), a tudi novejšega datuma tako v svetovni (Goethe, Schiller) kot v slovenski književnosti (Prešeren, Gregor~i~, Aškerc, Župan~i~). Medtem ko v basnih najve~krat nastopajo živali s ~loveškimi lastnosti, v prilikah pa ljudje, se v slikarstvu Vladimirja Lebna pojavljajo oboji, zdaj eni, zdaj drugi ali pa skupaj (na primer, v seriji na temo lova). Seveda vsako upodabljanje posamezne konkretne živali lahko aludira na njihov simbolni pomen znotraj razli~nih kulturnih tradicij, toda umetniška svoboda in imaginacija v~asih spodneseta konvencionalno simboliko in ji zoperstavita individualizirana pomenjenja, izhajajo~a iz konteksta reprezentacije, kakršno dolo~a
Brane Kovi~
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Paintings and parables In the stale environment of our subalpine province, still wreathed in the ideological mist of ‘contemporary art’, reduced to derivatives of conceptualism and demagogic reference to the so-called new-media practice, painting is considered a thing of the past, especially if the painter has not forgone figurality and figurability. Inventiveness, imagination and skill seem to be unwanted, while producing narrative forms and images is a dead end that has to be avoided at all costs. However, practice in culturally more advanced (and thus more tolerant) environments shows the existence of numerous parallel paths which are complex and suggestive at the same time, coated with new imageries and articulatory paradigms, regardless of whether they are upgrading classic motifs or inventing new iconographic patterns. In other words, the modern-day world and reality of being can still be boldly and provocatively, humorously and unconventionally, analytically and subjectively depicted, in noble spirit of humanistic tradition and critical distance from the already seen and told. With his paintings, Vladimir Leben provides a broad array of themes and motifs when it comes to articulative possibilities of contemporary figurative expressions based on the plurality of narratives and their intertwinement. Showing extraordinary inventiveness in terms of imagination and the mastery of his skill, he creates artistically sophisticated compositions, rich in content, which are often arranged in serial variations and chromatic permutations in relatively arbitrary registers, making his images deviate even more from the norms of realist discourse. He is not interested in portraying the physical appearance of people and objects, he focuses instead on the narrative and symbolic aspects of depictions, for which he frequently finds inspiration in simple, almost anecdotic events and phenomena that he confidently upgrades into original, equivocal declarations and metaphoric entries. With regard to literary genres, the stories that Leben embeds in his depictions, are most commonly parables, i.e. tales which—contrary to fables—tend to bring out emotions rather than reason and draw the moral lesson from a positive example, empathy and identifying demeanour rather than the negative outcome. Communication through parables is generally coded, using various rhetorical devices adapted to every single case and—just as in fables—it can be ironic, playful and moralising at the same time, but not necessarily scornful and patronising. The parables in verse or prose are of Eastern origin, from PreChristian times, even though the most famous and beautiful ones are from the Bible, especially the New Testament (from Jesus Christ’s public action and teaching), but also more recent ones from world (Goethe, Schiller) and Slovenian literature (Prešeren, Gregor~i~, Aškerc, Župan~i~). While fables mostly employ animals that are given human characteristics and parables feature people, both can be found in the works of Vladimir Leben, each group separately or together (in the hunting series, for example). Any depiction of an animal can—of course—allude to its symbolic meaning in different cultural traditions, but artistic freedom and imagination can sometimes get off the way of conventional
symbolism and respond with individualised meanings derived from the context of representation, as set out by the chosen narrative regardless of the symbolic tradition. If this does happen inherently, it is not intentional for the most part, but a consequence of being entangled in the collective unconscious, in the network of archetypes and symbols. If we, for instance, spot a dog in a painting, we immediately start having associations to various meanings which have been attributed to it by different peoples through their beliefs and mythologies. There is one role that surely stands out the most amongst all these figures and that is the psychopompos, the souls’ guide through the darkness of the afterlife, through the unknown underworld ruled by chthonic and lunar deities, such as Anubis, Cerberus, Thoth, Hecate and Hermes in Ancient Egypt and Greece. The dog is also a loyal companion to his master in his life on Earth. In Vladimir Leben’s parable paintings, however, the dog is in the focus of attention as a sensing being, human’s interlocutor and his alter ego displaying the same personal qualities and assuming actions or situational reactions that completely correspond to human behaviour. The artist suggests a distinctive semantic undertone also with the titles of paintings, sometimes using wordplay (for example, in his series of four works, there is a syllable written on each painting and together—if arranged in the correct sequence— they form the word Orthodogs, a homonym of the adjective orthodox meaning devout, die-hard canonical, but also ordinary, commonly accepted. Perhaps these last two meanings present the paradox of Leben’s series of paintings: dogs are not as ordinary as they seem at first glance, there is something surreal about them because of unusual objects added (fish hooks in their snouts), which are not connected to the general perception of dogs (including the badges on their bodies and the circular forms behind their heads (the allusion of an aureole). The bear, another animal motif close to Leben, has many symbolic meanings as well. Similarly to the dog, the bear is also associated with nighttime, the moon and therefore the afterlife. In Greek mythology, it accompanies Artemis, while the alchemists linked it to instincts and black as the colour of the primordial matter. On the other hand, a bear can also be a friendly guardian fond of people, personifying wisdom and the power of nature. The bears in Leben’s paintings are mostly good-natured revellers, regardless of whether they are portrayed alone, in hunting stories or in the company of other animals. The humorous connotation articulated by the artist with sophisticated formal expressions seems selfevident, but not an end in itself, as it can always be taken to the opposite extreme, a very serious—even tragic—view of the reality we live in, as well as the troubles and contradictions it brings. In other terms, Vladimir Leben does not portray the real world, but metaphorically declares its existence through parabolic images he invents by the way and to which he attributes universal meaning in subjective key. Brane Kovi~
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Skušnjava sv. Tomaža, 2016, olje na platnu, 150 x 100 cm Temptation of St. Thomas, 2016, oil on canvas, 150 x 100 cm
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Prilika sv. Roka, 2017, olje na platnu, 150 x 100 cm Parable of St. Rok, 2017, oil on canvas, 150 x 100 cm
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Orthodogs, 2013, olje in pozlata na platnu, 80 x 70 cm, poliptih Orthodogs, 2013, oil and gold leaf on canvas, 80 x 70 cm, polyptych
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Break Bears, 2013, olje in pozlata na platnu, 100 x 200 cm Brea Bears, 2013, oil and gold leaf on canvas, 100 x 200 cm
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Disco Bears, 2015, olje in pozlata na platnu, 155 x 135 cm Disco Bears, 2015, oil and gold leaf on canvas, 155 x 135 cm
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Sanje, 2014, olje na platno, 40 x 40 cm Dreams, 2014, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
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Slovo, 2014, olje na platno, 40 x 40 cm Departure, 2014, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
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Ĺ ank, 2014, olje na platno, 40 x 40 cm At the Bar, 2014, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
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Vladimir Leben Glavni trg 35 8290 Sevnica Slovenija vladimir.leben@gmail.com www.vladimirleben.com Vladimir Leben (1971) je odraš~al v Sevnici, Srednjo šolo za oblikovanje in fotografijo ter Akademijo za likovno umetnost je obiskoval v Ljubljani. Sodeloval je na številnih samostojnih in skupinskih razstavah doma in v tujini, med odmevnejše sodi projekt Galapagos. Je soustanovitelj Muzeja premoderne umetnosti. Poleg slikarstva se ukvarja tudi z animacijo in ilustracijo. Je dobitnik prve nagrade za animacijo na 10. Festivalu slovenskega filma v Portorožu leta 2007 in prejemnik priznanja Hinka Smrekarja na 10. Slovenskem bienalu ilustracije leta 2012. Leta 2014 je režiser Amir Muratovi} za RTV Slovenija v okviru serije Zapeljevanje pogleda posnel njegov portret. Živi in dela v Ljubljani.
Zadnje samostojne razstave/Latest solo exhibitions:
Vladimir Leben (1971) spent his childhood years in Sevnica and later moved to Ljubljana, where he attended Secondary School for Design and Photography and Academy of Fine Arts and Design. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions both home and abroad, with Galapagos project as one of the most successful. He is one of the founders of the Museum of Too Modern Art. He is also active as animator and illustrator. He received the first prize for animation at the 10th Festival of Slovenian Film in Portorož in 2007 and was recipient of Hinko Smrekar plaque for illustration at the 10th Biennial of Slovene Book Illustration in 2012. In 2014, director Amir Muratovi} made a film portrait of Leben for Slovene National Television. He lives and works in Ljubljana.
Vladimir Leben, Damijan Kracina in Jani Pirnat, Genski oltar. Galerija Krško, Krško, 2016. Vladimir Leben, Damijan Kracina and Jani Pirnat, Genetic Altarpiece. Krško Gallery, Krško, Slovenia, 2016.
Vladimir Leben, Slike in prilike. Mestna galerija Nova Gorica, Nova Gorica, 2017. Vladimir Leben, Paintings and Parables. Nova Gorica City Gallery, Nova Gorica, Slovenia, 2017. Vladimir Leben in Huiquin Wang, Med nebom in zemljo. Galerija ArtKit, Maribor, 2017. Vladimir Leben and Huiquin Wang, Between Heaven and Earth. ArtKit Gallery, Maribor, Slovenia, 2017.
Vladimir Leben in Huiquin Wang, Na konju. Galerija Zala, Ljubljana, 2016. Vladimir Leben and Huiquin Wang, In the Saddle. Zala Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2016. Zverinsko slikarstvo. Galerija Domžale, Domžale, 2016. Animal art. Domžale Gallery, Domžale, Slovenia, 2016. Vladimir Leben in Ercigoj Art, Pasje življenje. Galerija Kresija, Ljubljana, 2015. Vladimir Leben and Ercigoj Art, Dog’s Life. Kresija Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2015. Vladimir Leben in Matevž Paternoster, Zlata kletka. Kustosinja Jadranka Ljubi~i}, Galerija Veselov vrt, DLUL, Ljubljana, 2015. Vladimir Leben and Matevž Paternoster, Gilded Cage. Curator Jadranka Ljubi~i}, Veselov vrt Gallery, DLUL, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2015. Zadnje skupinske razstave/Latest group exhibitions: Sezona lova, Galerija Doubleroom Arti visive, Trst, Italija, 2016. Hunting Season, Doubleroom Arti visive Gallery, Trieste, Italy, 2016. Ta je lovska!, UGM Studio, Maribor, 2016. Unbelievable!, UGM Studio, Maribor, Slovenia, 2016. Majski salon. Kustos Brane Kovi~. Narodni muzej Slovenije – Metelkova, Ljubljana, 2016. May Salon. Curator Brane Kovi~. Slovenian National Museum – Metelkova, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2016. Primeri smeha v umetnosti. Kustos Sarival Sosi~. Mestna Galerija Ljubljana, Ljubljana, 2015. Examples of Laughter in Art. Curator Sarival Sosi~. CityArt Museum Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2015.
Katalog izdal/Catalogue issued by: Javni zavod Kulturni dom Nova Gorica, Mestna galerija Nova Gorica – Zanj odgovarja/ Represented by: Pavla Jarc – Urednica/Edited by: Mateja Polj{ak Furlan – Besedilo/Text: Brane Kovi~ – Prevod/Translated by: Peter Szabo – Fotografije/Photo: Matev` Paternoster – Oblikovanje/Design: Adenda d.o.o. – Tisk/Print: Tiskarna Present d. o. o. – Naklada/Number of copies: 300
Izid kataloga je omogo~ila/The editing of catalogue has been made possible by:
Mestna galerija Nova Gorica Trg E. Kardelja 5 SI 5000 Nova Gorica T + 386 5 335 40 17 E mestnagalerija@kulturnidom-ng.si W www.mgng.net www.facebook.com/groups/Mestna.galerija.Nova.Gorica Urnik: od ponedeljka do petka od 9. do 13. ure in od 15. do 19. ure. Ob sobotah od 9. do 12. ure. Ob nedeljah in praznikih zaprto.