A Succesful Plečnik Year 2017 is Behind Us
Four temporary exhibitions at Plečnik House, two new publications on Plečnik's life and work, more than 3000 guided tours of the architect's home for visitors, families, and persons with special needs, a presentation of Plečnik's Ljubljana around the world, a nomination for the European Museum of the Year Award, and Plečnik posthumously receiving the distinguished TGM Order award, are just a few important achievements from 2017, the Plečnik Year.
The Plečnik Year was marked by a number of exhibitions and events all around Slovenia and abroad, which have been organised by numerous institutions and individuals.
The Plečnik House and with it the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana played no small part in this rich programme. In the past year, Plečnik House prepared the exhibitions Plečnik on Brioni, Plečnik and Prague Castle, JOŽE, and Plečnik and water. We collaborated on various exhibitions at other locations, such as Plečnik above the City at the Ljubljana Caste, Exhibit of the Month at the library of the National Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana, a City with Plečnik’s Signature on the Jakopič Promenade in Ljubljana’s Tivoli Park. In the spirit of the Plečnik Year, Jakopič Gallery prepared a retrospective exhibition of photographer Damjan Gale. A collaboration with Mini teater also brought us benches on the Križevniška Street decorated with Plečnik’s profound quotes.
A collaboration was formed with the Museum of Architecture and Design for the international exhibition Plečnik's Ljubljana. This project, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, travelled across Europe and the world: Madrid, Prague, Sarajevo, Brasilia, Berlin… Slovenians living in Croatia gave the initiative that the exhibition Plečnik on Brioni visits Croatia, and was thus hosted by the Croatian Museum of Architecture in Zagreb.
Important acquisitions in the jubilee Plečnik Year are also two new publications. A collaboration with the DESSA Gallery produced Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana, a book prepared by the architect, book author and a connoisseur of Plečnik – Andrej Hrausky, while the American author Noah Charney, PhD, published the Eternal Architect: The Life and Art of Jože Plečnik, Modern Mystic, which was a joint effort with the Totaliteta Publishing House.
Plečnik House also hosted interesting lectures, among which was a lecture by the American historian, Professor Bruce R. Berglund, titled "A Fortress of the Mighty God": Religious Ideals and the Renovation of Prague Castle. Plečnik House was also the location of the public editorial conference Plečnik, the City and Me, organised by the English architectural platform Architectuul.
Alongside esteemed lecturers, Plečnik House also received visits from several distinguished guests in 2017. Among them were American senator John McCain and Audrey Azoulay, former France’s Minister of Culture, who became the Director-General of the UNESCO in late 2017.
Plečnik House is also a proud recipient of a nomination for the European Museum of the Year – EMYA 2017, while Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic, posthumously conferred upon Plečnik the distinguished Tomáš Guarrigue Masayrk Order award, which has been, to our great joy, entrusted for safekeeping to the Plečnik House by Plečnik's relatives. The award is currently part of our permanent exhibition.
Plečnik Year was also commemorated in the field of philately, as both Slovenian and Czech posts published jubilee series of postage stamps dedicated to Jože Plečnik, while the TV Slovenia prepared an interesting TV-feuilleton regarding Plečnik.
Plečnik Year was therefore record-breaking in all aspects, and the number of visitors to the Plečnik House was no exception as we counted more than 16,800 visitors! Their views regarding the Plečnik House are being collected in our book of impressions, and judging from its inscriptions a visit of the house is a "must" for every visit of Ljubljana.
"I wish his life mantra 'less is more' would still be around today, as we'd be happier and have more right ideas. Really remarkable, and my thanks to everyone who did their best with the renovation. His modesty is so inspiring. We need to follow him!" – NKBM Retiree Society
"Today, this place taught me about courage, responsibility and other people, actions and reactions,talk and theory, practice, sleeping, willingless and fear. All in all, it showed me I'm at quite a good place in my life when it comes to myself. It showed me the beauty of buildings, and just like every construction, it is a work of art as soon as projected. To serve only as a topographical margin can still bring something good, just as this house has. Love to everyone and enjoy yourself."
"What a wonderful museum, what an interesting guided tour! Plečnik (hopefully) would have enjoyed the way it is now (despite all these visitors running around :)!)Thanks so much!" – Kirsten Schüller, Bremen, Germany
Plečnik Year is behind us, while ahead of us is a year just as full of events and exhibitions dedicated to the architect Jože Plečnik. You are kindly invited to visit us.