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AUTHOR(S): Davorin Kralj
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ABSTRACT Forma viva is an established name for sculpture symposia in Slovenia. The working sites were located in four locations, in Seča near Portorož (stone), in Kostanjevica na Krki (wood), in Ravne na Koroškem (iron) and lastly in 1967 in Maribor (concrete). I will discuss the Forma viva International Sculpture Symposium in Maribor from 1967 to 1986 from the perspective of the symbiosis of the cooperation between business and art. The caring city mayors of Maribor put an urbanistically interesting new approach of artistic creation in the raw concrete settlements at the youngest international sculptors' symposium Forma viva in Maribor. Selected national and international established sculptors are invited to place artworks alongside newly constructed concrete buildings in contemporary new-build dormitory working-class suburbs. And in concrete, at the initiative of the construction company Stavbar. The material posed the greatest challenge to all (co-)stakeholders in (co-)creating a great work of art in an open living environment. The symbiosis between business and art permanently marks the urban space with concrete sculptures by local and international artists. The research question of why there was collaboration between Maribor construction companies and artists, sculptors who realised artistic ideas in the then less known material concrete, will be explained. I used the method of fieldwork with observation of the sculptures created. I studied the literature and interviewed former employees of Stavbar who were involved in the realisation of the artworks. The results are presented with photographs from archives and the recorded memories of Stavbar employees and other stakeholders. In the discussion, I explain why cooperation between business and art is an important aspect of sustainability. Finally, I conclude the debate with suggestions for the care and preservation of the rich cultural heritage and future possibilities for cooperation between business and the arts. |
KEYWORDS Art, Concrete, Economy, Sculpture, Symposium |
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Cite this paper Davorin Kralj. (2026) Symbiosis of Economy and Art, the Case of the International Sculpture Symposium Forma Viva in Maribor From 1967 to 1986. International Journal of Cultural Heritage, 11, 1-10 |
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