Outdoor works
Collection Gallery for Peace
The Gallery for Peace Collection at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Koroška in Slovenj Gradec is closely linked to international exhibitions held under the patronage of the United Nations (UN) since the 1960s. Founded in 1957 as the Art Pavilion, the gallery soon became a venue for artistic events with a strong humanistic tone, contributing to the unique identity of Slovenj Gradec—designated as the Messenger City of Peace in 1989.
The first major international exhibition, Peace, Humanity, and Friendship Among Nations (1966/67), was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the UN’s establishment and attracted approximately 200 artists from around the world.
This was followed by Peace 75 – 30 Years of the UN (1975), which, alongside traditional artistic forms, also incorporated institutional critique featuring conceptual artists. For a Better World (1979) expanded the thematic scope to architecture and design, while the last in the series of UN exhibitions, We for Peace (1985), focused on material—wood—highlighting numerous contradictions.
Many renowned artists participated in these exhibitions, including Henry Moore, Ossip Zadkine, Victor Vasarely, Jan Forsberg, Daniel Buren, Arthur Luiz Piza, Johnny Friedlaender, Hideo Hagiwara, Makoto Ueno, Peter E. Clark, Toon Wegner, Maria Bonomi, Werner Berg, Peter Lubarda, Krsto Hegedušić, Zoran Popović, Bruno Rinaldi, Antoni Miró, Ico Parisi, Riccardo Dalis, Kwak Duck-Jun, and many other local and international artists.
As a result of these exhibitions, the Gallery for Peace Collection was established, comprising an exceptionally diverse range of artworks, from abstract graphics—such as those by Victor Vasarely—to politically engaged works like the graphic portfolio of Walter Solón Romero. Many artists donated their works to the gallery, contributing to its long-term mission of promoting a culture of peace. The international character of the collection is affirmed by contributions from artists from South America, Africa, Japan, Indonesia, and other regions.
The significance of the Gallery for Peace Collection remains relevant today, as its works address key social issues such as war, migration, and social inequality. Many of the artists personally experienced the horrors of war, forced migration, and exile, deeply influencing their artistic expressions. Consequently, the gallery was conceived as a permanent space advocating for peace, solidarity, and humanism through art.
The gallery’s symbolic significance is further emphasized by the artwork of the artistic duo Fokus grupa, a neon sign titled “Center of the World”, installed on the gallery’s facade in 2016. The inspiration for the sign came from a 1966 newspaper article about the exhibition Peace, Humanity, and Friendship Among Nations, which proclaimed: “Tomorrow, Slovenj Gradec will become the center of the world. The world that, like every resident of Slovenj Gradec, sees culture as an inner necessity. A world fighting for peace, humanity among people. For true friendship, not just on paper, on posters, in books, or in words…” This inscription carries historical significance while also raising the ever-relevant political issue of war and peace.
Thus, the Gallery for Peace Collection is not just an artistic collection but also a manifestation of socially engaged art and a reflection of the historical mission, which continues to serve as a space for dialogue, reflection, and efforts toward a better world. In 2024, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Koroška published a comprehensive catalog on the collection.