Insects between Science and Imagination

The exhibition Insects between Science and Imagination opens a view into the diverse world of images in which art and the observation of nature intertwine. It focuses on tiny, often overlooked creatures with extraordinary aesthetic and symbolic power. As a motif, insects have long stood at the intersection of precise observation and imagination: their complex bodies invite detailed visual renderings, while their ambiguity gives rise to various interpretations. It is within this space of tension that contemporary illustration takes shape.

The inspiration for the exhibition is derived from the cabinet of curiosities, a space for collecting, exploration and wonder. In a similar way, the exhibition establishes a contemporary visual space where precision, imagination and interpretation meet.
Created by artists of various generations, the presented works range from scientific illustration to narrative visual worlds. Scientific illustration is based on observation, analysis and clear presentation, with an emphasis on precision and fidelity to detail. In contrast, imaginative illustration opens up a space of symbolism, emotions and stories, where insects become the bearers of diverse characters and moods. The illustrations are complemented by a central installation of insects made of fabric, whose spatial presence establishes a dialogue with the works on the walls, translating them from two-dimensional to three-dimensional space.

The range of approaches on display reveals the diversity of contemporary Slovenian illustration, which is no longer defined solely by technique but by different ways of thinking and storytelling. The exchange between realistic and freer artistic language demonstrates the openness and adaptability Slovenian illustration.

The insect as a motif serves as a connecting element between different approaches, generations and views. The exhibition thus opens up a space for dialogue between science and art, tradition and modernity. It speaks not only about insects but about a wider range of illustrators’ expression.

In a time when we often perceive nature through screens, the exhibition invites us to engage in slow observation and to rediscover the wonder of the small.

Artists: Alenka Sottler, Ana Maraž, Ana Zavadlav, Andreja Peklar, Ančka Gošnik Godec, Anka Kočevar, Eva Mlinar, Hana Stupica, Miha Hančič, Igor Šinkovec, Jelka Godec Schmidt, Jelka Reichman, Kristina Krhin, Lila Prap, Maja Kastelic, Maja Poljanc, Manica Musil, Marija Nabernik, Marija Prelog, Marjanca Jemec Božič, Marjan Manček, Marlenka Stupica, Marta Bartolj, Maša Kozjek, Maša Žmitek, Milan Erič, Petra Preželj, Peter Škerl, Polona Lovšin, Suzi Bricelj, Tanja Komadina, Tina Volarič, Tjaša Bon, Tomaž Lavrič, Trina Čuček Meršolj, Zvonko Čoh and Žarko Vrezec.
Fabric insects: Brina Jenko.

COLOPHON:
Curators and authors of the texts: Eva Mlinar and Maša P. Žmitek
Producer: Maruša Uhan
Production assistant: Teja Jalovec
Exhibition spatial design: Sara Škarica
Production: Centre for Illustration (Divja Misel Institute)

Thanks to:
Tanja Komadina, Darja Lavrenčič, Ljubljana City Library, Pionirska – Centre for Youth Literature and Librarianship, Mladinska knjiga Publishing House, Miš, Pivec, Sodobnost International Cultural Society (for assistance with the materials).

 

The exhibition has been organised in cooperation with the Centre for Illustration of the Divja Misel Institute.