Tour audio Biennial of Graphic Arts

The Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana, is one of the oldest in the world. After its founding in 1955, it placed Ljubljana and the Slovenian visual arts scene in a world context, and its work encouraged the creation of similar events around the world. In its first few years the unique geopolitical position of Yugoslavia enabled Ljubljana to become a place where artists from the entire world could participate in exhibitions. Artists came not only from Western Europe, but also from Third World countries and the Middle East. The artists were selected by an international jury which marked the introduction of new themes and technical developments in the medium by awarding prizes. And so, in 1963, at the 5th Biennial, Robert Rauschenberg, a pioneer of American pop art, received an award, one full year before he received recognition at the Venice Biennale.
In 2001 the 24th Biennial began with a process of revitalization; putting the structure, organization, and curatorship to the test. The change was based on the understanding of printmaking as a reproduction technique, and on a connection with the other forms of modern artistic practices. With every subsequent Biennial, through various curated exhibits, this self-reflection and questioning of the medium has continued, and there is an attempt to provide an answer to the modern challenges of art in a unique way.