The Second Explosion: The 90s

Exhibition: The second explosion: The 1990s

Location: P74 Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Year: 2016

Curator: Tadej Pogačar

Courtesy: The artist

Assistant: Saša Štuhec

Photo: Saša Štuhec

Technical Data: catalogue featuring texts by Božo Repe et al., and graphic design by Ajdin Bašić, text by Barbara Sterle Vurnik

Naprodaj is an installation that re-contextualizes the project done in 2003 in East London, IBID Gallery, titled Community Research Office*. The project attempted to explore the reasons, processes and consequences of change within urban development, where galleries and independent art spaces play an important role.

Looking into the context of the present situation of the gallery P74 situated within Šiška Town Hall we might be able to draw some parallels and speculate about its future. The building that is slowly dilapidating is in a awaiting process. During this process it got open to multiple cultural NGO’ s and artist to have its own space. But what is going to happen with the building in the near future? What will be the change? When the situation will change? Who will activate the change and who will profit from the change?

The installation in the gallery speculates on the above questions using the gallery spatial situation, where the viewer is situated in-between the enlarged documentation photo selected from Community Research Office, windows looking to the outside  – into the urban park and The P74 – Contract for Rent, representing the situation at this moment.

* Art galleries and project spaces are among the first gentrifiers and are later often replaced by upgraded housing, cafés and offices. The gentrification process usually entails a rise in property prices as economically better-situated newcomers with different lifestyles replace the local population.