With this two-day international conference scheduled to take place in Ljubljana on September 26th and 27th, France Stele Institute of Art History aims to extend their focus beyond Slovenia and ex-Yugoslavia, seeking a comprehensive, global perspective on the phenomenon of art commissioned and created for public institutions during the period of 1945–1989. What stylistic or iconographic developments characterized this form of art? How did politics influence its production? How were the artworks, intended for the public, received by audiences? Who were the patrons and financiers behind public art projects? Additionally, what is the relationship between architecture and artistic interventions within it? The organisers invite speakers to address a broad range of topics, including but not limited to presentations on individual artists or specific artworks, national or transnational developments in this art form, and issues related to the conservation of artworks, among others.

The two-day event will be held at Atrij ZRC SAZU, located at Novi trg 2, Ljubljana, on September 26th and 27th, 2024. To kick off the conference with a warm welcome, an introductory guided tour of some lesser-known Ljubljana mural sites dating from the period of 1945–1991 will be conducted on the afternoon of September 25th.

Speakers are kindly requested to cover their travel and accommodation expenses.

Interested participants are invited to submit a brief, 300-word abstract for their proposed 15-minute presentation by June 1st, 2024, to katarina.mohar@zrc-sazu.si. The organizers will diligently review all applications and communicate their decisions to the applicants by June 15th, 2024.

This conference is organized as part of the research project “Art for Community. Registration and Assessment of Artworks Commissioned for Public Institutions in Slovenia, 1945–1991″ (J6-50206).

More information: https://uifs.zrc-sazu.si/en/novice/art-for-the-community-artworks-commissioned-for-public-institutions-1945-1989