Lubljana from the castle tower
A champagne welcome
Left to right: Boris Cesin, Director of Krka Gallery; Maureen Enns; Charlie
Russell
(Click on any Image to see a higher resolution version)
Charlie and I arrived in Slovenia on March 20,2000. The purpose of our visit is twofold: First to open the travelling component of "Through the Eyes of the Bear", at the Krka Gallery in central Ljubljana, and second to give illustrated lectures about our co-existence study in Kamchatka. We did not realize our visit here would be so critically timed. When Matevz Lenarcic invited us almost a year ago, it was because there is much conflict between farmers and the brown bears; with the bears on the losing end. When we arrived he told that between 100 and 200 brown bears (grizzlies) are slated to soon be killed. A high-ranking government official is soliciting popularity in the agrarian sector of the vote by promising to make their farming activity safer! With the total population of brown bears here is between 300 and 500, a cull of this magnitude could take out half of the existing population. Others in government are not so supportive of this view but their ability to stop it is politically difficult for them. Politics and policy making concerning human-bear conflict is never easy for any government in any country.
Therefore there is a lot of interest in what we have learned about co-existence in Kamchatka. We do not think the officials really want to take out this many bears, but they need alternatives. I did not expect my art exhibition opening to be so politically charged. The digitally reproduced images that are currently in the Art Gallery of Calgary Exhibition arrived safely. The case carrying the original artwork was temporarily lost in transit and arrived one hour before the exhibition was slated to be installed. It had not left Frankfurt! However on March 22, 2000 at noon, we were ready for the official opening. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Department of Government contributed Champagne and other wonderful items, for this reception. Mr. Bute, standing in for the Minister opened the Exhibition. Boris Cesen, Director of the Krka Gallery( prominent public Gallery of Ljubljana) was MC and assisted us in making the display a success.
I screened my video "In Situ" and had the "Drawing in Sound" playing as gallery visitors entered the exhibition. The large digital images, such as "Anthropomorphism" and "The Bear Who Looked for Beauty" looked terrific. I think the images of "Into the Deep" were the clearest in message though. I will work on clarity of what I am trying to say with the next stop next week at "camac" Gallery, at Marnay - sur-Seine, Paris. I was a bit worried how my digital photos showing Charlie and I in close contact with our bears would be received here with the current political turmoil. No problems! - only a lot of interest in our work. Mr. Bute from the Ministry said in his opening remarks, that it is important that another opinion about bear management occurs at this time. Slovenia needs outside information. Following Albania, Slovenia has the reputation of having the widest bio-diversity of wild animals in Europe. They are proud of their wilderness. People like Mr. Savo Vovk, Counsellor to the Government, (incidentally assisted Matevz in finding funding for our trip here), speaks with great love and passion about the bears of Slovenia. Mr. Bute echoed similar sentiments.
My Exhibition will be on view at Krka Gallery until the 29th of March. I look forward to hearing the public response. At the opening the exhibition was appreciated on political levels first and artistically second. We feel very welcomed here. TV and magazine interviews loom on the horizon. Charlie is now preparing his slides for his first lecture at the University Department of Etiology. More from Charlie in a few days!!
- Maureen