Interview: RAVNIKAR GALLERY SPACE

RAVNIKAR GALLERY SPACE may only have existed for one year, but it’s the result of a longtime vision put forward by its founder and director Piera Ravnikar: to bring the spirit of young creativity closer to the public. Following this line of thought, freedom of expression and the responsibility towards the times we live in are all at the forefront of the gallery programme. Despite being based in Slovenia, which she experiences as a sort of vacuum of transition between an old and a new system, she has faith in this moment of time and its potential to foster change. In her own words: “I cannot change the world, but I can influence my micro-environment and hope that this environment in turn has a changing effect on other regions and communities.” We had a talk with Piera Ravnikar and the opportunities and challenges of running a gallery in Ljubljana – a city in growth and an art scene that is finally about to awaken and break new ground.

Name: RAVNIKAR GALLERY SPACE
Founder and Director: Piera Ravnikar
Location: Ljubljana
Opening year: November 14, 2017

When did you first become interested in art, and how did it lead you into the business of being a gallerist?
It’s a rather personal childhood story. I started painting at the Pioneer Home – Centre for Youth Culture in Ljubljana when I was three years old. So small I could barely reach the top of the table, but determined to become a painter. As it happened, I ended up on the other side of the institution’s hallway dancing classical ballet, to which I dedicated my entire youth. However, my desire to paint and draw never left me. In fact, it has stayed with me to this day. I will probably never be an artist, but what remains is my love for visual art. And in order to change things for the better, it’s exactly what one needs in the field of art – love. It was this passion that prompted me to leave my job as an artistic director of the visual, audio-visual and intermedia programme at Kino Šiška – Centre for Urban Culture, where I had spent almost ten years engaged in curating, developing and managing over 1000 cultural and artistic projects. The decision to leave this public institution in the Municipality of Ljubljana wasn’t easy at all, as it represented my entire financial and contextual basis as well as offered a hub of numerous resources that allowed me to realize a number of exceptional international projects. But in the end, my long-time wish to open an independent gallery was simply too powerful, and mustering enough courage to do so before it was too late was indeed the right decision. So, as long as I possess enough energy to build things from scratch – with all the advantages and challenges this entails – I stand on the side of the courage.

RAVNIKAR GALLERY SPACE was founded in 2017. As a young gallery, do you experience any particular opportunities or challenges in a, at times, stuffy industry?
It’s very simple when looking at it through the prism of local context: if there are no private galleries dedicated to new and emerging production, the art market will remain non-existent. Slovenia is a young and small country without critical mass; the market of cultural and creative industries is exceptionally small, but the most important thing which we lack is not having a strong tradition of investing in private art collections. As our “elite” and older generations of collectors simply don’t (yet) invest in emerging artists, my challenge remains: to educate young collectors. Personally, I see the glass as half full. To me, it all has its own magic – to be at the very beginning of this process, to break new ground, and to watch a country of 2 million develop its young art market. There are certain bright exceptions who recognize the importance and responsibility of supporting the field of contemporary art. These are young collectors, intellectuals from various fields, and the most rewarding aspect of it all is to see people without any family tradition become collectors and to invest trust in my work. You could say my gallery is becoming a hub for young Slovene art collectors. 

“R space is committed to bringing fresh innovative formats, as expressed by budding art and artistic practices, to the forefront.” The above quote is from a recent interview you did with In Your Pocket. Can you elaborate on your vision to push new frontiers and confront the established notions set by classic art market conventions? Can you give an example of the new formats that have been introduced to your audience?
R space aims to challenge the assumption of what an art gallery is. A strong need is growing to develop a side-story, a story that presents the world of art not only as a classical art market, but also that of new, committed and innovative formats, which actively support, stimulate and promote young and emerging production. Unfortunately, the artistic expression, which is supposed to be a basic condition for an artist to succeed, is increasingly subordinate to other interests, and therefore, it is important for me to promote this world comprised of various visual art languages, styles and contents. The first international edition of the AIR4 exhibition was truly a breath of fresh air. It consisted of 100 emerging as well as established international artists of mixed generations who had created 100 original works of art especially for this occasion. Within the context of this exhibition, these works were then offered at an affordable rate. It was my attempt at trying to encourage the young interested public, as well as those who have never mustered the courage to cross the threshold of a sales gallery, to come and visit. I don’t believe that this kind of annual event lowers the value of artistic works. On the contrary, I believe that someone who will invest 100 EUR in a piece of art for the first time will likely be prepared to invest even more the next time round or buy a more valuable piece by the same artist. 

In the same interview, you said that you “are keen to inspire arts and creativity via closer, more meaningful conversations among the artists and the buyers”. Do you feel that there is a lack of meaningful dialogue in the art world? How do you as a gallery initiate closer dialogue between the artists and the buyers?
Slovenes are still shy or even insecure when it comes to visiting art galleries, both public and private ones. The reason for that probably lies in the fact that galleries used to fall under the domain of a select few – the bourgeois elite, if you will. Finally, there’s a wind of change blowing through! Our cultural venues are opening up. They’re becoming more accessible. Educating people and presenting them with the opportunity to discover contemporary production of art has nudged its way into the foreground. This is why I strive to develop programmes to open my spaces to those who are interested in art and appreciate its worth. Dialogue is only possible when you have at least two participating sides – the artist and the public. My main mission is therefore to ensure the existence of this dialogue, so that the public (professional and general) that is introduced to art is as wide as possible. It’s the foundation, the very basics of it all!

Digitization has widely changed and revitalized the world, including the art world where more and more digital platforms arise, thus creating new ways for artists, collectors and gallerists to navigate the art scene. How does digitalization affect the dynamic of your business?
In a local space, where visitors can reach you physically, digital communication of exhibitions and projects is of paramount importance and allows the interested public to visit offline spaces. The main channels are Facebook, Instagram and Vimeo. For sales abroad, a horizontal digital network, support and accessibility are crucial. And it goes without saying that a great role in this important initiative is also played by you, Artland.