On this occasion we have searched the rich treasury of photographic collections kept by the Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia to find genre motifs of various encounters – photos that reveal the motives of the social events of the 20th century.
The social aspect of human existence comprises both the intentional and unexpected encounters that happen in the everyday corners of a public space. A public space is one that’s accessible to everyone and where various social processes unfold. It is an inseparable whole of a two-way process between the two components: the public, representing people, and the space, which is a place. Our impressions about a city and the quality of life in it often depend on the quality of the public spaces that a particular place has to offer. Such spaces thus contribute to the character of cities, making them livelier and more suitable for living, and add to the well-being of both residents and visitors. From the architectural viewpoint, public spaces are created for socialising. They provide an environment in which people interact and where random and not so random communication can occur. A good public space encourages diversity and creates the conditions needed to attract people. This could mean large, otherwise empty squares that fill up with colour and commerce on market days. At other times the intersection of two paths can be more than enough for a chance encounter that sparks a spontaneous conversation between two people.
The selected photographs take us on a stroll through the squares and various other venues where encounters take place in Slovenia’s capital, which are mostly located in the city center and are still cult meeting points today. The photographs show the everyday life of unknown individuals in the urban landscape and show the image of Ljubljana as it once was.
Domen Kaučič, curator