Today, Slovenia is celebrating 144 years since birth of Ivan Cankar, the giant of Slovene literature. Cankarjev dom – CD Cultural and Congress Centre Ljubljana, which is proudly wearing its name, every year on the 10th of May prepares a symbolic celebrity In Memory of The Artist. This way, the main cultural and congress institution of Slovenia honours the memory of this great writer. Of course, this year the celebrations are a bit limited due to the current Corona situation.
However, to respect the governmental restrictions on social gatherings in time of Covid19 but to still share some culture and art to the public, Cankarjev dom is inviting audiences to join the celebration today at 12pm either via its YouTube or Facebook channel. Theatre actor Primož Pirnat will, along accordion player Marko Brdnik, read Cankar’s stunning short story Poet.
To further mark the importance of today, the Cankarjev dom general director Uršula Cetinski will lay flowers next to Cankar’s monument at the entrance to the building. Even more, tomorrow, on the 11th of May 2020, Cankarjev dom will open its doors for exhibition visitors. Exhibitions will be open every day from 12.00 to 19.00 and will be closed on Sunday. Then, next week, from the 18th of May, the grand exhibition IDEA – Ancient Greek Science and Technology will re-open in Gallery CD.
From tomorrow on, however, the Grand Reception Hall an exhibition We Are Young and Alive (Mladi smo in živi) marking the 100th anniversary of the Architecture Faculty in Ljubljana is on display. In the First Foyer a design exhibition Widows and Bastard (Vdove in Pankrt) in collaboration with Brumen Fundation as well as displays of Design identity (Oblikovalska identiteta) Julija Karas, Neža Medved: Biopolimer and Art Critics Choose (Likovni kritiki izbirajo) – Ivo Mršnik; selection: Iza Pevc. While in Small Gallery a photo exhibition Goddesses (Boginje) by Aleš Bravničar will open.
The entrance will be enabled at the back entrance, under the shade canopies of the mighty trees at the The Council of Europe Park (Park Sveta Evrope). Of course, all the precautions as set in the time of Corona crisis are necessary and there will be rules enforced. But still, this is the first time in the last two months, that the exhibitions can be visited and that Cankarjev dom will, from its current sole role of the government’s press centre during the crisis, return to its fundamental role: hosting audiences and enriching their lives.
