Marking 70 years, Maribor Art Gallery unveils new collection display by David Tavčar

As the Maribor Art Gallery celebrates its 70th anniversary, it invites visitors to explore a captivating new temporary exhibition of its collection. This unique presentation, conceived by designer David Tavčar, showcases over 250 artworks, ranging from iconic pieces to lesser-known gems and works never before exhibited. Traversing seven rooms and two halls, the exhibition promises an immersive and thought-provoking encounter with art.

A designer's perspective on form and color

"I am not an art historian by training, but an industrial designer," explains David Tavčar, the exhibition's curator. "Therefore, in my role as curator, I primarily focused on the keys of formalism – color, texture, and form – criteria that are, by definition, part of my professional domain. The central guideline for the exhibition's layout, from the selection to the presentation of works, spatial interventions (wall colors and coverings, framing and hanging methods), is to question the idea of the standard."

A legacy of artistic exploration

Since its establishment in 1954, the Maribor Art Gallery has resided in the Strossmayerjeva Street Palace. Due to spatial constraints, the gallery has long faced the challenge of simultaneously accommodating a permanent collection display and large temporary exhibitions. Over the years, the gallery has overcome this challenge by presenting the UGM Collection in temporary exhibitions, offering fresh perspectives on the collection and the history of art in the city, region, and Slovenia.

A spectrum of formalist approaches

A decade ago, curator Nadja Gnamuš organized the exhibition "60! Panorama," structuring the collection around thematic clusters. Four years later, "100+ Highlights from the UGM Collection" presented works in chronological and stylistic order.

In contrast to these previous exhibitions, "Spektrum" focuses on the formal aspects of visual art: color, shape, material, texture, and composition. Anticipating the gallery's expansion into new exhibition spaces on Rotovški Trg, the exhibition also pays special attention to the spaces of its current home, highlighting the most characteristic and charismatic features of the Strossmayerjeva Street Palace through design contours.

David Tavčar

David Tavčar is a rising young designer known for his work in textile design for international fashion houses and heritage companies, as well as interior design and his own brand. His design approach is characterized by a relaxed and playful hand-drawn style, a sense of humor, and an inexhaustible source of references to art history, crafts, and design.

Tavčar arranges images into sequences and grids, creating recognizable patterns that form a complex and self-assured whole, from close-up details to the overall effect from a distance. The Maribor Art Gallery has entrusted Tavčar, a connoisseur of art in his own right, with carte blanche to weave a rich tapestry of formal artistic associations and conversations using works from the UGM Collection.

Exhibition Details

• Title: Spektrum. 70 Years of the UGM Collection
• Dates: February 2, 2024 – December 3, 2025
• Location: Maribor Art Gallery, Strossmayerjeva 6, Maribor, Slovenia