Forma Viva Open Air Steel Sculpture Collection, Ravne na Koroškem

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Forma Viva Ravne na Koroškem

Koroška cesta 14, SI-2390 Ravne na Koroškem

https://fvr.si/

info.ravne@kpm.si

Phone386 (0) 2 870 6461

Managed byKoroška Regional Museum

Brigita Rajšter, Director of Koroška Regional Museum

brigita.rajster@kpm.si

Forma Viva Open Air Steel Sculpture Collection, Ravne na Koroškem arose under the auspices of the International Symposia of Sculptors called Forma Viva. It is a more than 5 decades-long endeavour taking place at several sites across Slovenia, during which invited artists are asked to produce new public sculptures. These works are then incorporated into publicly accessible, open-air collections that bear the name of Forma Viva as well.

Each of the venues of the Symposia has a site-specific policy for the materials used. The one in Ravne na Koroškem uses steel and metal, thus engaging with a long history of iron smelting and casting in the region. The collection, spread across four towns, is administered and promoted by the Koroška Regional Museum, Ravne na Koroškem Unit.

Background

Initiated by the sculptors Jakob Savinšek and Janez Lenassi, Forma Viva was modelled after an open-air symposium held in St. Margharethen quary in Austria in 1959. The idea was first carried forward in 1961, when the first two symposia were organised in Kostanjevica na Krki (wood) and in Seča near Portorož (stone).

They were joined in 1964 by Forma Viva in Ravne na Koroškem and in 1967 also in Maribor. In the course of the following five decades sculptors from all over the world participated in the project, enriching the Slovene landscape with around 350 sculptures.

As compared to the Forma Vivas in Portorož and Kostanjevica na Krki, where most of the pieces are gathered is specially designated parks, the ones in Maribor and Ravne na Koroškem are spread over the wider urban region. Both of the cities were growing fast in 1960s and the installation of sculptures was meant to humanise their new, concrete-dominated urban spaces.

Artists and sculptures

Between 1964 and 1989, 7 Forma Viva sculptural symposiums were held in Ravne. Thirty sculptors from 15 countries all over the world created monumental steel sculptures, 28 of which are still preserved today and adorn the urban spaces of the town of Ravne and surrounding villages such as Prevalje, Mežica, Črna, and others.

In 2008 and later again in 2014 the Forma Viva in Ravne na Koroškem got revived.

In 1999 the catalogue Forma viva 1964–1989, Ravne na Koroškem was published. Between 2005 and 2009 thirteen sculptures were renovated including the works of Zvonimir Kamenar (roundabout in Ravne), Roberto Steel (Kotlje-Rimski Vrelec), John Hoskin (Ravne), Katsuyi Kishida (Javornik), Yuki Oyanagi (Ravne), Koji Ishikawa (Janeče).

Mesto Forma Vive by KoroskaDezela on YouTube

See also

• Forma Viva Collection
• Koroška Regional Museum, Ravne na Koroškem Unit
• Koroška Regional Museum
• Forma Viva Open Air Sculpture Collection, Maribor
• Forma Viva Open Air Stone Sculpture Collection, Seča
• Forma Viva Open Air Wood Sculpture Collection, Kostanjevica na Krki

External links

• Forma Viva, Ravne na Koroškem website (in Slovenian)
• Forma Viva on the Koroška Regional Museum website
• Pictures with short explanations of the individual pieces (in Slovenian)
• Institutional history of Forma Viva (In Slovenian)