The exhibition opened on 6th July 2002, at the Slovenian Religious and Cultural Centre SS Cyril and Methodius in Melbourne, on the occasion of the Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius. The works displayed are by a group of well-known Victorian artists of Slovenian background. Among them are painters who exhibit work in Australia and overseas. The curator was Ivo Leber, who had already taken an exhibition of Australian Slovenian artists to Slovenia, Italy and Austria a few years ago. Thematically, the exhibition reflects the Slovenian background of the painters. Dominant are Slovenian and Australian landscapes and Slovenian cultural and religious themes. There are also beautifully crafted still-lifes painted in oil or acrylic. Prominent among the exhibited works are three striking canvases of Zorka Cernjak, on the theme of childhood experience of Slovenian fairy-tale motifs, painted in a sophisticated naïve style. Noteworthy are also the beautiful mosaics of Lojze Jeric, executed in glass mosaics and natural stone.
The Galeria Sloveniana’s first online exhibition is a significant art event. It is the beginning of an exciting new venture. With the creation of the online gallery, the artist and his work can reach out to all the corners of the globe.