Dušan Gerlica: On Instinctive Sculpture, Working visit with presentation

The event is part of Punctum. Unusual Art Autobiographies, exhibition at MGLC Švicarija. 

The concept of the Punctum (Point) exhibition goes back to the role of Švicarija, which has been a clandestine, autonomous and self-organised hotbed of creativity on the edge of the city park throughout the course of history. The artworks on display present unusual art autobiographies of the artists, who have made distinct yet impactful decisions in their lives and careers. With their sense of freedom and unencumbered by academic posturing, they firmly assert their status as creative dissidents.

Participating artist Dušan Gerlica is a self-taught sculptor who works in Gorenja Trebuša in the midst of unspoilt nature and weaves its metaphysical character into his works. With the installation of sculptures made of sequoia wood, which comes from the thousands-year-old forests of the Sierra Nevada, he invites us to surrender to the materiality and primal memory of the modelled wood. His work is the key (Unlocked Sequoia, 2013–2024) that unlocks the door to the life of our planet. The sculptor will present how he is guided in his work by the materiality and primal memory of wood. In the creative process, he follows his inner feeling, which adapts to each individual piece of wood. By incorporating unusual features, damage and “flaws” in the wood, the creative process proceeds without a plan – and the results produce unexpected forms.

The lecture will be followed by a practical sculpting exercise in which participants can familiarise themselves with the properties of wood and try their hand at instinctive woodworking. Registration at trgovina@mglc-lj.si.

After studying Journalism, Dušan Gerlica worked as a photojournalist and followed the beginnings of the punk movement (published in Tribuna and Mladina). At the same time, he worked as a self-taught sculptor and developed his own sculptural expression resulting from spontaneous and instinctive woodworking. He lives and works in Gorenja Trebuša in the Tolmin region.

Dušan Gerlica, Unlocked Sequoia, wooden sculptures, 2013-2024. Photo: Urška Boljkovac. MGLC Archive.