(Everything Is) Not What It Seems

(Everything Is) Not What It Seems is a traveling exhibition, curated by Mara Ambrožič Verderber, director of the Piran Coastal Galleries—the central museum of contemporary art in the Slovenian Istria. The exhibition was premiered last year in Norway, at NITJA Centre for Contemporary Art in Lillestrøm, Oslo.

The exhibition presents works by: Primož Bizjak, Vincent Ceraudo, Einat Cohen, Igor Eškinja, Andrea Fraser, Meta Grgurevič, Anawana Haloba, Ane Mette Hol, Corinne Mazzoli, Hanna Filomen Mjåvatn & Kira Senkpiel, Victor Mutelekesha, Nika Neelova, Tobias Putrih, Tomás Saraceno, Kathryn Smith, Andrej Škufca, Lučka Šparovec, Miha Štrukelj, Robert Watts, Dani Žbontar.

(Everything Is) Not What It Seems is designed around questions and themes that explore what is going on beyond the visible reality of things, and may help us to understand the mechanisms that govern our society. The artworks on show have been carefully chosen for their captivating and deceptive qualities, as well as their ability to shed light on a wide range of historical, technological, and sociopolitical issues. A common characteristic among the participating artists is their skill in using visual art to add layers of meaning to various subjects, inviting us as viewers to engage in a deeper contemplation.

The 21 artists on show use, invent, extract and appropriate objects (moving sculptures, ceramics), images (photos, paintings, drawings), books (texts, data) and performances, so that, through their synchronous action, they encourage a shift in our experiencing of a given reality. Moreover, their artworks can be seen as tools for liberating ourselves from visual strategies and political ideologies.

Collectively, the exhibition emphasizes the way artistic imagination can serve as a site of resistance, a powerful medium capable of challenging our beliefs and prompting us to envision alternative realities. 

The exhibition vernissage is on June 3, 2023, 7pm at Piran Civic Gallery on the Tartini Square, accompanied by a performance by Corinne Mazzoli exploring physical barriers and obstacles in the city. 

The opening is preceded by a ballet performance by Sanja Nešković Peršin, which will happen on the same day at 5 p.m. at the Monfort Gallery in Portorož. 

The exhibition includes artworks from private and public collections (Piran Coastal Galleries, UGM Maribor) and international galleries (including Noire Gallery Turin, Alberta Pane Gallery, Paris & Venice, Gregor Podnar Vienna, Pinksummer Genova). The exhibition at Piran Civic Gallery is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Municipality of Piran.