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| Borut Peterlin, Emerging Slovenia 10 – 21 October 2007 |
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| Slovenian photographer Borut Peterlin was commissioned by Mladina Magazine to do a series of portraits of prominent compatriots for its weekly section “Striptiz” (striptease). In his portraits Peterlin completely “strips” his sitters of their public relations image, emphasising a conceptual factor that allows the image to stand out and the sitters to reinvent themselves. This process demands a lot of courage, both from the photographer and from the subject. As a citizen of Slovenia, a part of former Yugoslavia, both the photographer and the country have had to reinvent themselves and find their place in the new Europe. After being disabused of their belief in a socialist utopia that was Yugoslavia, Slovenians enjoy the experiment of reinvention, according to Peterlin. His subjects range from the curator of a modern art gallery, a painter, a Drum ‘n’ Bass DJ and a contemporary dancer to a film director and many more creative people from the EU’s smallest new member state. Oliviero Toscani, Peterlin’s teacher, compares his former student to his country: “committed, dramatic, determined, independent, persistent and aware. A true warrior”, his greatest talent being the “ability of indiscretion.” As Slovenia prepares to take over the presidency of European Union in January 2008, this exhibition will be a unique look at the true artists of this dynamic new member of the European union. |
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