Movement, Ljubljana – various locations, May 17th – June 16th 2012

Lighting Guerrilla is turning on the lights in different public spaces for the sixth consecutive year already. Parks, streets, galleries and cultural centers for a few weeks yearly beat to the rhythm of this festival, which is each year dedicated to a certain topic. Detectives of Light, Repetition, Recycling, City! and Sound were the main topics of previous editions of the festival. This year it revolves around Movement. The artists will be exploring the interaction between movement and light in relation to space and also to the spectator as a co-creator. The sound still stays one of the key elements in the individual settings, installations and objects, while this time colours will be featured as well. You will be able to shine in the flares of light in the V.I.P. project and co-create various light images in different other projects. Exhibitions of objects and installations in the open air and gallery spaces, videoinstallations, spatial settings, »interactive« projections, workshops and shows are the leitmotiv of the Lighting guerilla's program, while a new feature of this year’s program is film screenings in Slovenska kinoteka. Light in the movies significantly shapes the atmosphere of the movie and can be a key factor in the creation of the narrative. Apart from Slovenska kinoteka, the festival this year is joined by Plesni Teater Ljubljana, an important co-creator of this year's program. A new associate member is also Visoka šola za dizajn, while the center of the festival’s activities is Vžigalica gallery and its surroundings.

Light is a part of everyman’s everyday life. At the same time it is a source of infinite ways of expression, just as art is a part of our everyday lives! They are taken as granted due to the fact that both are omnipresent in our lives, and their value is often unrecognized. No life is possible without light, and art is an essential part of life, therefore they are priceless. Some European countries have recognized the significance of art in the public space long ago, which is why they are now even legally committed to allocate financial resources to art projects available for the public. The role of the artist in the urban public space here is neglected (a decoration for tourists at best) and it seems that nowadays art has even become a needless expense. Those that have pillaged and looted the state and some individual bittermen have joined forces against the “big spenders” – artists and cultural associations, but the numbers are telling a different story. Cultural associations and artists make use of minimal resources to produce enormous results that are hard to compete with. Artists, cultural associations and institutions are those that create the dynamic pulse of the capital, thus distinguishing it from rural and residential areas. Art is life itself!

Art must be defended from the egos of those that govern, from their ignorance, bitterness and fear of the individuals!