EU TRACE NET PROJECT 15.-18.10.2013
1. CONFERENCE: Ceramics, Tradition and European Cultural Cooperation
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CITY OF LJUBLJANA on the map
CITY OF LJUBLJANA on the photo
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
 Archaeological excavations in Ljubljana found ceramics from different
historical periods.
 The artefacts in museums, ethnological and art historical researches
show rich ceramic works and different cultural impacts.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA-ceramics and
pottery
 Before the arrival of the
Romans in the 2nd century B.C.
the ceramic remains from the
Illyrian and Celtic cultures were
found.
Photo: City Museum of Ljubljana,
http://www.mgml.si/medijsko-sredisce/sporocila-zamedije/v-zakladnici-mestnega-muzeja-ljubljana-na-ogledarheoloske-najdbe-z-izkopavanj-na-kongresnem-trgu-in/
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
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Later there was a strong Roman
impact on ceramics and after the 6th
century A.D. Slavic with mostly
Austrian, Hungarian and Italian
impacts.
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2000 years ago the Roman city of
Emona was established, where the
city of Ljubljana is today.
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The name Ljubljana was first
mentioned in documents found in
the 12th century.
Photo: Museum of Gorenjska Region, http://www.gorenjskimuzej.si/?page_id=29
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
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Pottery is one of the oldest crafts
in Slovenia. It evolved where
deposits of clay were found.
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From the 16th century onwards the
potters are mentioned in the
guild’s documents, because they
were organized in guilds in cities
and countryside.
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At the end of 18th century the
living conditions changed and city
potters have shifted mostly into
stove tiles making.
Photo: Ivan Romih, Slovene Ethnographic Museum
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics
 There have also been some brick
factories and some small ceramics
factories, like the first factory of
majolica in Ljubljana, which was
built in 1743 (closed in 1768), or the
first factory of cream -ware also in
Ljubljana, built in 1788.
Photo: Slovenian National Museum, Cream-Colored Earthenware in
Slovenia, Sugar bowl
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics
 After 1816 the continental
embargo was lifted, bringing
in its severe competition
from English ceramics
factories, and Austria
introduced a new financial
system (Ljubljana was in The
Austro-Hungarian Empire at
that time), so in 1831 the
factory was forced to close.
Photo: Slovenian National Museum, Cream-Colored
Earthenware in Slovenia, Venus
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics of
Spodnjesavinjska manufactures
CITY OF LJUBLJANA -ceramics of
Spodnjesavinjska manufactures
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- Ceramics of Kamnik
manufacture
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics of Kamnik
manufacture
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- artistic ceramics
CITY OF LJUBLJANA-ceramics and
architecture
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
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Guilds ended and in the
beginning of 20th century some
cooperatives formed.
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But on the countryside pottery
remained an important income
for the complimentary or
independent craftsmen and
farmers.
Photo: Boris Orel, Slovene Ethnographic Museum
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
 Small Business Act in 1859
let the potters sell their
products freely on the
market and fair days and
they could freely carry or
drive to sell their products in
the closer or further
surrounding areas.
Photo: Boris Orel, Slovene Ethnographic Museum
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
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In the 80s of the 19th century big changes
occur; iron and enameled dishes arrived
also to the countryside households.
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Cooking on the open fire and owns
changed to cooking on stoves so the
market for the ceramics shrunk and the
number of potters reduced.
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At the end of 19th century estimated
numbers say, that 410 potters worked in
Slovenia, at the end of Word War II 184
with 40 assistants and 121 apprentices, at
the end of 1960s only 74 and at the end of
1980s 36 left. Today this number is even
smaller, but the ceramics sector is being
reorganized and is getting stronger.
Photo: Slovene Ethnographic Museum,
http://www.interpretingceramics.com/issue010/articles/04.htm
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
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After the Second World War,
there has been a decline of
traditional ceramics.
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The conditions were severe, so
the children of the potters
didn’t decide to continue the
family tradition, but they rather
went to work to industries and
offices.
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Photo: Museum of Gorenjska Region,
http://www.gorenjski-muzej.si/?page_id=29
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics and
pottery
 But in the eighties and nineties of the 20th century there has been
some promotion for traditional potters and some started to learn and
do pottery again.
 The biggest blockage for the development of pottery was a very
suppressing fiscal policy and the absence of professional work with
potters; there was no transferring knowledge to younger generation
in the primary school and also art schools and universities.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
 In Municipality of Ljubljana there is a department for culture, which
covers also the ceramics sector. It helps to awake traditional and
modern ceramics mostly by promoting exhibitions, fairs and
workshops.
 Every year since 2003 there is a ceramics exhibition of The Society for
Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia in the Town Hall and many ceramic
workshops and other exhibitions from artists around the world.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
 Ljubljana is also hosting ceramics fairs and big ceramics exhibitions
like The 1st International Triennial of Ceramic in 2009. But ceramics
on the academic and professional level is still lacking a proper
school and position in the sector of art and education in Slovenia.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
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There are mostly professional and
private interests to develop and
promote the ceramics sector. That
is also probably a reason why we
are here at the conference.
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The Municipality of Ljubljana
forwarded this project to us, The
Society for Ceramics and Pottery
Slovenia, the local initiative.

http://www2.arnes.si/~ljdkelo1/ga
lerija.html
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
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So, I will say more about our initiative.
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The Society for Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia, was founded in Ljubljana in
the middle of 1990’s from the need for progress of quality ceramics and
pottery and its representation in Slovenia.
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Education, sharing of experiences, building ties within ceramic society and
promotion of ceramics has remained the main objective to the present
time.
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The necessity of ceramics union was reflected by numerous memberships.
By first year the Society counted 80 new members. Today it has 150
members and incorporates traditional potters and art ceramists from all
over Slovenia and also abroad.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
 Trying to diminish the fifty years of neglected ceramist’s education
the Society helps its members to acquire knowledge either from
books contained in the permanently expending library or by
informing them of all other possible means of education.
 The Society is also organizing fairs, exhibitions, educational,
promotional workshops and excursions to exhibitions around Europe
etc. Its members have entered to many exhibitions and won prices in
Slovenia and abroad.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
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The Society organized the first
retrospective exhibition in 1999,
which was also the first bigger
retrospective exhibition in the
history of Slovenian
contemporary ceramics.
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The critics recognized the
exhibition to show the use of
very demanding technics, clear
artistic expression and
innovation, in short a high artistic
level of the Slovenian ceramics.
Photo: The Society for Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- ceramics sector
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Representing Slovenia, the Society has been also involved in some
European projects.
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The Society is working on the position of the ceramics and pottery, which is
well respected in foreign countries, to be recognized as such also in
Slovenia. Efforts of the Society in the last years helped to establish the
studies of ceramics in The Academy for Fine Arts and Design and the
section for ceramics at The Society of Slovenian Fine Artists.
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The progress of ceramics in Slovenia rests mostly on personal initiative and
effort of every single ceramist and potter, to whom clay, this primal
material means challenge, the possibility of creative expression, the means
of survival, the possibility of experimentation and inexhaustible source of
inspiration.
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The Society is thus slowly but persistently changing the common view and
attitude towards ceramics in Slovenia.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- project cooperation
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Maybe it is a little bit too soon to have a lot of suggestions about our joint
actions in the future, but there is :
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a good chance to discover the development and the situation of ceramics
in our European cities,
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to make ties,
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share ideas and
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make plans for future collaboration for the development of
recommendations for local policies and sustainable development plans,
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Our network can also present new commercial opportunities
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and we agree that it is important to actively involve the young generations
in our activities.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- sources
for the presentation
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SOURCES:
The museums: Slovenian National Museum, Slovene Ethnographic Museum,
City Museum of Ljubljana, Museum of Gorenjska Region, Intermunicipal
Museum Kamnik, Provencial Museum Celje.
The Municipality of Ljubljana, The Society for Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia,
ILA d.o.o.
The experts: Janez Bogataj, Mateja Kos, Ivan Slokar, Milena Moškon, Teja
Hlačer.
CITY OF LJUBLJANA- sources
for the presentation
Photos:
1. http://www.ljubljana.si/si/mol/novice/83516,1/gallery.html
2.http://geology.com/world/slovenia-satellite-image.shtml
3. http://www.visitljubljana.com/si/ljubljana-in-osrednja-slovenija/
4. http://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slika:Emona_predrimsko_obdobje_-_pre_roman_era_(2).jpg
10. Slovenian National Museum, Cream-Colored Earthenware in Slovenia, Decorative plates
11. Provencial Museum Celje, Ceramics of Spodnjesavinjska’s Factories, Two doses and Wein service
12. Private collection, Majolica from Kamnik
13. Intermunicipal Museum Kamnik, Decorative plates
14. Artistic ceramics, Karel Zelenko
15. Ceramics of architect Jože Plečnik, http://www.goprekmurje.si/slo/top-5/plecnikova-cerkev-bogojina.html,
http://www.slovenskenovice.si/novice/slovenija/na-racun-cerkve-boga-se-ne-sluzi, http://www.siol.net/scena/druzabna_kronika/2010/09/beja_bogojna.aspx
17. http://www.napovednik.com/dogodek137730_glina_roka_ogenj_keramika_na_gorenjskem_od_davnih,
http://www.slovenia.info/?_ctg_promotion_material=91&lng=1
20. http://www.delo.si/clanek/86727, http://www.etno-muzej.si/sl/dogodki/mednarodni-muzejski-dan-v-loncarskem-ateljeju-sem
22. http://www.siol.net/novice/lokalne_novice/gorenjska/2010/10/v_ljubnem_bodo_obujali_staro_loncarsko_tradicijo.aspx
23. Society for Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia, Exhibition in the Town Hall
25. Factory Made Art., http://www.eastview.com/russian/books/product.asp?SKU=2132049B&f_locale=&active_tab=1
26. Society for Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia, Ceramics workshop in the Town Hall
27. Ila d.o.o., Exhibition of the project: The Pot from the Black Kitchen
28. Society for Ceramics and Pottery Slovenia, The big baking mould for potica
30. http://www.napovednik.com/dogodek248520_spominjamo_se_lubenskih_cpinarjov_1_razstava_v