Slovenj Gradec, June 18 – August 30, 2026
The Triennial of Handicrafts exhibition is a contemporary continuation of the Exhibition of Slovenian Arts and Crafts, which boasts a tradition of over 50 years at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Slovenj Gradec. In its last two editions, the exhibition has placed a special emphasis on the contemporary interpretation of Slovenian handicraft heritage, which undoubtedly includes contemporary Idrija lace. Being featured in this exhibition is a wonderful achievement in itself, as the expert jury selected only 40 products out of 160 submissions this year.
The first-prize-winning piece is "A Lace Journey Through the Legends of Spodnja Idrija" ("Čipkasto popotovanje po Pr'farskih legendah"). It was created in collaboration with the Association of Idrija Lace makers (Spodnja Idrija group) and was first presented at an exhibition in Spodnja Idrija in August 2024. The pattern, designed based on the motifs of Spodnja Idrija legends, is my own work, while the lace itself—measuring over 2 meters in length—was crafted by 6 lacemakers who invested approximately 500 hours of work into it.
A Special Recognition from the expert jury was also awarded to the Trilogy of Flowers Made of Slovenian Silk (Trilogija cvetlic iz slovenske svile), consisting of a silk linden blossom, a silk chrysanthemum, and a silk bouquet of carnations. All three brooches were created in collaboration with the Institute of Sericulture and Silk Production, led by Dr. Rebeka Lucijana Berčič under the auspices of the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, and are handmade from 100% Slovenian silk. The design and lacemaking are my work, the brass gold-plated clasps were designed and crafted by Maja Licul, while Alberta Rožanec (unreeling the silk cocoons and producing the silk thread) and Alenka Rupnik (who properly twisted the silk thread to prepare it for lacemaking) also played vital roles in this project. These award-winning brooches are also featured in the current Made in Slovenia Slovenian gifts selection catalog, published by the Center for Creativity at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO). The exhibition as a whole is definitely worth a visit, so you are warmly invited—over the summer to the Gallery of Fine Arts Slovenj Gradec, and in the autumn to the Slovene Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana, where the exhibition will be hosted in November.
