Primož Bizjak
18 Jan - 08 Mar 2014
© Primož Bizjak
Hotel Bristol, exhibition view, Galerija Gregor Podnar, Berlin, 2014. Photo: Marcus Schneider
Hotel Bristol, exhibition view, Galerija Gregor Podnar, Berlin, 2014. Photo: Marcus Schneider
PRIMOŽ BIZJAK
Hotel Bristol
18 January – 8 March 2014
Galerija Gregor Podnar is proud to announce the first Berlin exhibition by Madrid-based Slovenian artist Primož Bizjak. Hotel Bristol presents works from several series, bringing together some of the most representative projects from the last decade of his career. The show includes photographs of Venice, Sarajevo and Madrid, all in the unique lighting conditions that have been a hallmark of this artistʼs work.
Nocturnal photography and the colors that lie hidden in the night are Primož Bizjaksʼs prime interest, and his photographs explore the history of places, borders, and symbolic landmarks. Using long exposures that last several hours or even all night, Bizjak manages to create nocturnal images as if in daylight, gradually capturing the colors through natural, never digital means, to surprise us with what our eyes cannot see in the dark. The angle of the shot is fundamental, and to achieve the right one he will defy heights, no-entry signs, and expose himself to risks.
Hotel Bristol, which lends the show its title, is one the artistʼs earliest photographs. The hotel became notorious after April 6, 1992, because it stood right on the front line of the besieged city. As a strategic point for the townʼs defense, it came to symbolize the heroic resistance effort; until recently, all that remained was the skeleton of the building and its bullet-riddled sign. The magical atmosphere conjured up by this photograph is both crystal-clear and dreamlike.
Cárcel de Carabanchel was a prison built in Madrid after the Spanish Civil War that held many political opponents of the Franco regime. This picture was taken from the spot where the guards stood, marking the boundary between freedom and imprisonment. Principe Pío Estación del Norte is a semiabandoned station that played a key role in the defense of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War.
Cantieri Veneziani are photographs taken between 2002 and 2005 while several Venetian canals were drained for cleaning. Venice is captured here from under the water level on which it floats and which has made it so famous. Difesa di Venezia, on the other hand, shows Primož Bizjakʼs fascination with the beauty that can be found even in military innovation.
Interiores Madrileños are shots of buildings around Madrid taken between 2007 and 2013. These edifices, now empty, are shown from inside, no longer as elaborate facades built to impress, but as real arenas of everyday life. Once again, Bizjak reveals a hidden, rarely-captured world.
Primož Bizjak was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, Slovenia in 1976. His work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions in countries including Italy, Spain, and Slovenia. This is his third solo show with Galerija Gregor Podnar.
Hotel Bristol
18 January – 8 March 2014
Galerija Gregor Podnar is proud to announce the first Berlin exhibition by Madrid-based Slovenian artist Primož Bizjak. Hotel Bristol presents works from several series, bringing together some of the most representative projects from the last decade of his career. The show includes photographs of Venice, Sarajevo and Madrid, all in the unique lighting conditions that have been a hallmark of this artistʼs work.
Nocturnal photography and the colors that lie hidden in the night are Primož Bizjaksʼs prime interest, and his photographs explore the history of places, borders, and symbolic landmarks. Using long exposures that last several hours or even all night, Bizjak manages to create nocturnal images as if in daylight, gradually capturing the colors through natural, never digital means, to surprise us with what our eyes cannot see in the dark. The angle of the shot is fundamental, and to achieve the right one he will defy heights, no-entry signs, and expose himself to risks.
Hotel Bristol, which lends the show its title, is one the artistʼs earliest photographs. The hotel became notorious after April 6, 1992, because it stood right on the front line of the besieged city. As a strategic point for the townʼs defense, it came to symbolize the heroic resistance effort; until recently, all that remained was the skeleton of the building and its bullet-riddled sign. The magical atmosphere conjured up by this photograph is both crystal-clear and dreamlike.
Cárcel de Carabanchel was a prison built in Madrid after the Spanish Civil War that held many political opponents of the Franco regime. This picture was taken from the spot where the guards stood, marking the boundary between freedom and imprisonment. Principe Pío Estación del Norte is a semiabandoned station that played a key role in the defense of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War.
Cantieri Veneziani are photographs taken between 2002 and 2005 while several Venetian canals were drained for cleaning. Venice is captured here from under the water level on which it floats and which has made it so famous. Difesa di Venezia, on the other hand, shows Primož Bizjakʼs fascination with the beauty that can be found even in military innovation.
Interiores Madrileños are shots of buildings around Madrid taken between 2007 and 2013. These edifices, now empty, are shown from inside, no longer as elaborate facades built to impress, but as real arenas of everyday life. Once again, Bizjak reveals a hidden, rarely-captured world.
Primož Bizjak was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, Slovenia in 1976. His work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions in countries including Italy, Spain, and Slovenia. This is his third solo show with Galerija Gregor Podnar.