Projects of co-workers
Petra Varl: Kisses and hugs…!
Exhibition

Opening: February 14, 2012, at 8 p.m.
KiBela / KIBLA Maribor, Kneza Koclja 9, Maribor

We would like to inform you about the exhibition project of Petra Varl, an artist taking part in SCCA-Ljubljana project Internet Portfolio.

During the period of Maribor European Capital of Culture, the signs with motives of kisses and hugs by Petra Varl will be cheering and lighting us up from the street lamps all over the town. The author has already been placing her sign images from a previous cycle to traffic signs across town, but unfortunately they could not remain there. Unlike proper traffic signs that ban, limit or command, this time the author has chosen streetlamps, which will be disclosing the manifold forms of love, friendship and affection to to the passing people.

The stories of couples kissing and embracing are being told by Petra Varl with a clean-line drawing in a simple painting language of signs. She invites us for a joyous stroll, and a playful exploration of the town's secret little places where her latest signs have been put up. From thirty different locations they will be addressing, encouraging or inciting ourselves to kiss or hug, right in the middle of the street, the crossing, under an arch, on the bridge, or in the park.
(dr. Alenka Spacal)

Join us at the MMC KIBLA for the installation of Smoker, the final sign from the series!

Petra Varl was born in 1965 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. She graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree from The Ljubljana Academy of Fine Arts in 1997. She has shown her work in numerous independent and group shows, including the Sao Paolo Biennial. Since the year 2000 she has been working as an Associate Professor of drawing and graphic arts at the Fine Arts Department of the Teacher’s College of the University of Maribor. She lives and works in Ljubljana and Maribor.

KiBela Gallery / KIBLA Maribor

[Published February 13, 2012]