Palčič's Paintings and Graphics on Exhibition at Lek Gallery
Ljubljana, April 20 – An exhibition of the paintings and graphics of the Triestine artist Klavdij Palčič opened yesterday at the Lek Gallery, located in the pharmaceutical company Lek’s headquarters. Over hundred and fifty art lovers, from the worlds of business, health care, fine arts and the media, attended the opening ceremonies where they admired the latest masterpieces of the Slovenian artist.
This exhibition testifies to the pharmaceutical company Lek’s on going tradition of fostering links between the business world and the art community. We feel that our concern for people’s health and well being also extends to enriching and expanding their horizons by bringing art within their reach. We at Lek wish to be a socially responsible member of the community we live and work in, by sponsoring different Slovenian artists and a variety of other cultural, sport, and humanitarian activities.
The academic Ciril Zlobec formally opened the exhibition. He read a few poems from his book You – Me – Us (Zlobec and Palčič). Tatjana Pregl Kobe, art historian and critic, introduced the artist and talked about his artistic opus. Vasja Legiša, the cellist from Trieste, enriched the proceedings by playing some of his own compositions.
Palčič’s artistic opus grows out of a connection to tradition and its reflections in contemporary Slovenian art. Characteristic of Palčič’s paintings and graphic works of recent decades is light that permeates the background. The essential features of his art, in addition to the intense contrasts, are his use of radiant colors, which act as symbols inspiring us with life energy. The artist belongs to that group of contemporary artists who like to utilize unconventional materials and original creative methods. In the words of the art historian Tatjana Pregl Kobe, Klavdij Palčič’s latest works reflect his interest in things above and beyond our imagination, a world in which we are, as in a fantasy, invulnerable and free as birds.
Palčič is recognized not only as a painter and a graphic artist, but also as a set and costume designer, as well as an illustrator of juvenile books and collections. Palčič’s work has been shown in numerous group exhibitions at home and abroad. In the past decade, he has participated in many prominent Slovenian and international art colonies as well. Since 1960 he has had over sixty independent exhibitions. Palčič’s current retrospective exhibition at the Civico Museo Revoltella in Trieste, is drawing to a close. Among his more important theater projects are his costume and set designs for the Ljubljanska Drama, Cankarjev Dom, Mestno Gledališče in Ljubljana, the Verdi Opera House in Trieste, La Fenice in Venice and Teater an der Wien in Vienna. Palčič lives and works in Trieste.
The exhibition at the Lek Gallery, located on Verovškova 57, will be open to the public through May 11th. The hours at the Gallery are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on workdays, and Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.