Igor Zabel Association for Culture and Theory

15/12/2025

Režiser Damjan Kozole o pomenu OHOja in poteku dela na dokumentarcu OHO FILM, za katerega pravi, da je bil morda skrajni čas, da je nastal. "Naš izziv je bil ali lahko po tolikšnem času sestavimo verodostojno, koherentno ohojevsko zgodbo in hkrati ujamemo duha in atmosfero tistega časa."

Celoten pogovor si lahko preberete na: https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/intervju/damjan-kozole-ce-bo-svet-hotel-preziveti-se-bo-moral-vrniti-k-ohojevskim-idejam/766797

🎞️Lepo vabljeni na projekcijo OHO filma jutri, 16. decembra, ob 17:00 v Slovenska kinoteka!
Več informacij: ⁦https://kinoteka.si/spored/⁩

"Bili so vizionarji. Odpirali so vprašanja pred svojim časom," o fenomenu skupine OHO, enem najvplivnejših v zgodovini slovenske vizualne umetnosti, pravi režiser Damjan Kozole.

11/12/2025

[Nerazložljiva odsotnost / Inexplicable Absence]

Na razstavi Nerazložljiva odsotnost v Moderni galeriji je med petimi Zabelovimi razstavami - v maniri “site-specific” instalacije predstavljena tudi razstava Nerazložljiva navzočnost (Kustosova delovna soba). Kanadski umetnik Christophe Barbeau je za izhodišče subtilne in spekulativne interpretacije Zabelove razstave izbral 5-minutni dokumentarni video posnetek z referenčno arhivsko številko MG-1997-PRED-45 ter izbrane artikle z razstave.

Zabel je z razstavo, ki je leta 1997 potekala v kletnem prostoru Moderne galerije in kamor je za trajanje razstave prestavil tudi svojo pisarno, preizkušal nove načine razstavljanja in srečevanja z obiskovalci ter reflektiral vlogo kustosa in zmožnosti nizkoproračunskih projektov.

Razstava 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐥𝐨𝐳̌𝐥𝐣𝐢𝐯𝐚 𝐨𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐭𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐭. 𝐏𝐨 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐡 𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐣𝐚 𝐙𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐚, s katero obeležujemo dvajseto obletnico smrti Igorja Zabela, je v Moderni galeriji v Ljubljani na ogled le še do 15. decembra! Vstop je prost.

/ ENG /

The exhibition Inexplicable Absence at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana features five exhibitions by Zabel, including the exhibition Inexplicable Presence (Curator's Working Place), presented in the manner of a site-specific installation. Canadian artist Christophe Barbeau chose a 5-minute video document with the reference archive number MG-1997-PRED-45 and selected objects from the exhibition as the starting point for his subtle and speculative interpretation of Zabel's exhibition.

With his exhibition, which took place in the basement of the Museum of Modern Art in 1997 and to which he also moved his office for the duration of the exhibition, Zabel explored new ways of exhibiting and meeting visitors, and reflected on the role of the curator and the possibilities of low-budget projects.

The exhibition 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐠𝐨𝐫 𝐙𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥’𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, which commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Zabel's death, is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana just until 15 December! Admission is free.

📷: Lado Mlekuž, Matija Pavlovec / Moderna galerija, Ljubljana.

05/12/2025

[Nerazložljiva odsotnost / Inexplicable Absence]

Ena od Zabelovih razstav, ki so predstavljene v okviru razstave Nerazložljiva odsotnost v Moderni galeriji, je skupinska razstava Oko in njegova resnica: Spektakel in resničnost v slovenski umetnosti 1984–2001.

Zabel je za razumevanje slovenske umetnosti med letoma 1984 in 2001 razvil koncept umetnosti kot polja, ki ga ne moremo zajeti naenkrat in enakomerno, temveč se nam razkriva postopoma, odvisno od spreminjajočih se zornih kotov. Kot izpostavlja kustos Vladimir Vidmar je razstava dober primer Zabelovega kuratorskega pristopa, za katerega je bilo značilno upoštevanje družbenopolitičnega konteksta, vztrajno tvorjenje vezi med sodobno umetniško produkcijo in preteklimi umetnostnimi obdobji ter med raznolikimi - celo na videz medsebojno izključujočimi se - umetniškimi praksami.

Razstava 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐥𝐨𝐳̌𝐥𝐣𝐢𝐯𝐚 𝐨𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐭𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐭. 𝐏𝐨 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐡 𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐣𝐚 𝐙𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐚, s katero obeležujemo dvajseto obletnico smrti Igorja Zabela, je v Moderni galeriji v Ljubljani na ogled še do 15. decembra! Vstop je prost.

/ ENG /

One of Zabel's exhibitions featured in the exhibition Inexplicable Absence at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana is The Eye and its Truth: Spectacle and Reality in Slovene Art 1984–2001.

Zabel developed a concept for understanding Slovenian art between 1984 and 2001 as a field that cannot be captured all at once and uniformly. Instead, it reveals itself gradually, depending on the shifting viewpoints from which it is observed. As curator Vladimir Vidmar points out, the exhibition is a prime example of Zabel's curatorial approach, which was characterized by considering the socio-political context, persistently connecting contemporary artistic production with past art periods, as well as between diverse - even seemingly mutually exclusive - art practices.

The exhibition 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐠𝐨𝐫 𝐙𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥’𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, which commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Zabel's death, is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana until 15 December! Admission is free.
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Moderna galerija

02/12/2025

Hvala vsem, ki ste se prejšnji teden udeležili premiere OHO filma v Cankarjevem domu!

V razprodani Linhartovi dvorani so se premiere udeležili člani filmske ekipe in skupine OHO - Marko Pogačnik, Tomaž Brejc, Matjaž Hanžek in David Nez.

🎥Dokumentarec je trenutno na rednem sporedu Slovenske kinoteke.

/ ENG /

Thank you to everyone who attended the premiere of the OHO film in Cankarjev dom last week!

The sold-out premiere was attended by members of the film crew and the OHO group - Marko Pogačnik, Tomaž Brejc, Matjaž Hanžek, and David Nez.

🎥The documentary is currently on the regular schedule of the Slovenian Cinematheque.
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Slovenski filmski center Vertigo Ljubljana

27/11/2025

[Nerazložljiva odsotnost / Inexplicable Absence]

Na razstavi Nerazložljiva odsotnost v Moderni galeriji je med petimi Zabelovimi razstavami predstavljena tudi skupinska razstava Vidiki minimalnega: Minimalizem v slovenski umetnosti 1968–1980.

Zabel je na razstavi fenomen minimalizma v slovenski umetnosti analiziral skozi širok nabor umetniških praks, od neokonstruktivizma s konca 1960-ih, prek reizma skupine OHO, do slikarstva in kiparstva poznih 1970-ih let. Kot izpostavi kustos Vladimir Vidmar, je Zabel v Vidikih minimalnega reflektiral težnjo minimalistične umetnosti po racionalni objektivnosti, v katero pa se vrivajo osebni izraz, ekspresivnost in sporočilnost. Takšno razumevanje objekt(iv)nosti oz. razmerja med deklarativno in materialno dimenzijo umetniškega dela po njegovem kaže na Zabelovo kompleksno razmišljanje o umetnostnih fenomenih, ki jih je pogosto reflektiral skozi produktivna nasprotja in napetosti.

Razstava Nerazložljiva odsotnost. Po sledeh kuratorske prakse Igorja Zabela, s katero obeležujemo dvajseto obletnico smrti Igorja Zabela, je v Moderni galeriji v Ljubljani na ogled še do 15. decembra! Vstop je prost.

/ ENG /

The exhibition Inexplicable Absence at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana features five exhibitions curated by Igor Zabel, including the group show Aspects of the Minimal: Minimalism in Slovenian Art 1968–1980.

At the exhibition, Zabel examined the phenomenon of minimalism in Slovenian art through a wide range of artistic practices, from neoconstructivism of the late 1960s, reism of the OHO Group, to the painting and sculpture practices of the late 1970s. As curator Vladimir Vidmar points out, in the Aspects of the Minimal Zabel reflected minimalist art’s tendency toward rational objectivity, which is being disrupted by the intrusion of personal expression, expressiveness, and communicativeness. Such an understanding of the object(ive) and the relationship between the declarative and material dimensions of artistic works reveals Zabel's complex way of thinking about artistic phenomena, which he frequently analyzed through productive oppositions and tensions.

The exhibition Inexplicable Absence. Tracing Igor Zabel’s Curatorial Practice, which commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Zabel's death, is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana until 15 December! Admission is free.
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Moderna galerija

26/11/2025

[Na današnji dan / On this day]

Na današnji dan leta 1995 se je v ljubljanski Mali galeriji zaprla razstava francoskega umetnika Jean-Marca Bustamanta, ki jo je kuriral Igor Zabel. V razstavnem katalogu je analizo in interpretacijo Bustamantovega dela začel z osebno zagato: “Priznati moram, da je Jean-Marc Bustamante eden tistih umetnikov, o katerih ne morem pisati objektivno; njegovih del namreč preprosto ne morem ločiti od svojega (zelo zasebnega) doživetja. Še več, ob teh delih sem prisiljen na najbolj ključnih točkah priznati svojo negotovost, nevednost. Pa vendar se mi zdi, da takšno izhodišče ne vodi nujno v neobvezen kritiški ‘impresionizem’, ki o samih delih ne bi povedal ničesar.”

O postopkih kritiškega in interpretativnega dela Zabel v svojem kasnejšem besedilu “Umetnost in kvaliteta” med drugim zapiše: “… prav tisti x, tisto ‘več’ v delu, [je] temeljni smoter in gonilo interpretovega in kritikovega prizadevanja, a je vendarle neulovljiv in neizrekljiv.”

Besedilo je dostopno na tej povezavi: http://www.ljudmila.org/scca/platforma3/zabelfinal.htm

/ ENG /

On this day in 1995, an exhibition by French artist Jean-Marc Bustamante, curated by Igor Zabel, closed at the Mala Galerija in Ljubljana. In the exhibition catalogue, Zabel began his analysis and interpretation of Bustamante's work with a personal dilemma: “Jean-Marc Bustamante is one of those artists I cannot write about objectively. I cannot separate his works from my private experience. Moreover, I am forced to admit my uncertainty regarding several crucial points. But still I believe such a departure point does not necessarily lead to vague ‘impressionistic’ criticism which cannot say anything about the owls themselves.”

In his later text "Art and Quality", Zabel writes about the procedures of critical and interpretive work, stating, among other things: “... the x is that something ‘more’ in the work, a fundamental purpose and drive of the interpreter’s and critic’s endeavour, but it is nevertheless elusive and unutterable.”

The text is available here:https://igorzabel.org/pdf/Igor-Zabel-Art-and-Quality-FIN.pdf

Fotografije / Photographs: Lado Mlekuž, Matija Pavlovec. Z
dovoljenjem Moderna galerije, Ljubljana / Courtesy of Moderna galerija, Ljubljana.

23/11/2025

🎥Oglejte si napovednik OHO filma / Watch the OHO Film trailer!

Film si lahko ogledate:
- 26. novembra v Cankarjevem domu;
- od 29. novembra bo na sporedu v Slovenski kinoteki.

/ ENG/

Film screenings:
- 26 November, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana;
- From 29 November, the film will be on a programme at the Slovenian Cinematheque in Ljubljana.

🔗 https://www.cd-cc.si/kultura/film/nasi-filmi-doma-oho-film
🔗 https://kinoteka.si/projekcija/oho-film/

Vertigo Ljubljana

20/11/2025

[Nerazložljiva odsotnost / Inexplicable Absence]

Ena od Zabelovih razstav, ki so predstavljene na razstavi Nerazložljiva odsotnost v Moderni galeriji, je Primer – Umetnost in kriminaliteta umetnice Alenke Pirman.

Postavitev, ki je temeljila na gradivu razvpitega kriminalističnega primera iz Muzeja slovenske policije, je zagotavljala, da so razstavljena gradiva avtentična, a je bil dostop do njihove vsebine obiskovalcem onemogočen. Kot poudarja kustos Vladimir Vidmar, je prevpraševanje statusa dokumenta v sodobni umetnosti, v kontekstu razstave Primer prešlo v refleksijo politik razstavljanja, potenciala umetniške intervencije v procese produkcije vednosti ter novih vlog umetnostnega muzeja in muzeja nasploh.

Razstava Nerazložljiva odsotnost. Po sledeh kuratorske prakse Igorja Zabela, s katero obeležujemo dvajseto obletnico smrti Igorja Zabela, je v Moderni galeriji na ogled še do 15. decembra! Vstop je prost.

/ ENG /

One of Zabel's exhibitions featured in the exhibition Inexplicable Absence at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana is The Case – Art and Crime by artist Alenka Pirman.

The display, based on material from a notorious criminal case from the Slovenian Police Museum, ensured that the exhibited materials were authentic, but visitors were unable to access their content. As curator Vladimir Vidmar points out, questioning the status of the document within contemporary art, in the context of the exhibition The Case, led to a reflection on the politics of exhibition, the potential of artistic intervention in knowledge production, and the new roles of the art museums and museums in general.

The exhibition Inexplicable Absence. Tracing Igor Zabel’s Curatorial Practice, which commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Zabel's death, is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana until 15 December! Admission is free.
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Moderna galerija

12/11/2025

[Nerazložljiva odsotnost / Inexplicable Absence]

Razstava Nerazložljiva odsotnost v Moderni galeriji na temelju petih Zabelovih razstav obravnava ideje in vprašanja, ki jim je sledil v svojem delu.

Kustos Vladimir Vidmar na primeru razstave Individualni sistemi, ki jo je Zabel pripravil v sklopu 50. beneškega bienala, izpostavi vprašanje avtonomije umetnosti in kompleksnega razmerja med umetnostjo in družbeno realnostjo kot temo, ki je bistveno zaznamovala Zabelovo prakso nasploh. Kot še povzame, je z Individualnimi sistemi Zabel premišljal, kako lahko umetnost na sebi lasten način deluje v družbi v času, kjer se pogosto zdi “sekundarna, nevtralizirana ali kooptirana s strani vladajočih struktur”.

Razstava Nerazložljiva odsotnost. Po sledeh kuratorske prakse Igorja Zabela, s katero obeležujemo dvajseto obletnico smrti Igorja Zabela, je v Moderni galeriji na ogled še do 15. decembra! Vstop je prost.

/ENG/

The exhibition Inexplicable Absence at the Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana, based on five of Zabel's exhibitions, explores the ideas and questions he pursued in his work.

Using the example of the exhibition Individual Systems, which Zabel prepared as part of the 50th Venice Biennale, curator Vladimir Vidmar highlights the issue of the autonomy of art and the complex relationship between art and social reality as a theme that significantly marked Zabel's practice in general. As he summarises, with Individual Systems, Zabel reflected on how art can function in society in its own way at a time when it often seems "secondary, neutralised or co-opted by ruling structures."

The exhibition Inexplicable Absence. Tracing Igor Zabel’s Curatorial Practice, which commemorates the twentieth anniversary of Zabel's death, is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana until 15 December! Admission is free.
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Moderna galerija