Maska – Stayin’ Alive

Zavod Maska, Ustanova fundacija Sonda, GT22, Moment Maribor, Festival Borštnikovo srečanje

An exhibition 

Curators Pia Brezavšček, Janez Janša, Alja Lobnik 
Spatial design and concept Toni Soprano Meneglejte
Graphic designer Niki Lapkovski
Technical implementation Igor Remeta

The performing arts journal Maska was first published in 1920, and in 2020, we celebrated the 200th issue, which we have published in three volumes. The journal has never had solid institutional support, and even today its publisher is the precarious NGO Maska Institute. In the struggle for autonomy, it has always resisted standardisation and indexing. Its motto is: Pushing the boundaries of the possible together with art and the power of thought. Through Maska, first the journal and later also the book production, many generations of writers, editors, designers, translators, copyeditors and other collaborators formed who sought and mastered a language with which we could capture even the boldest artistic phenomena.

The exhibition presents the varied activity of the Maska Institute, which has expanded from the initial edition of the journal to book editions, art production and education. The exhibited posters mark the abundant design history of Maska, with many brilliant artists who have contributed to its visual identity, such as France Kralj, Matjaž Vipotnik, Irena Woelle, Samo Lapajne, Martin Bricelj, Martin Mistrik, Miha Turšič, Ajdin Bašić. The exhibition was designed by Toni Soprano Meneglejte and the posters by Niki Lapkovski. Maska’s Newsstand, also designed by Toni Soprano Meneglejte, is part of the exhibition as a reading corner where older as well as recent issues of Maska and the audio recording of the round table Maska Editorial Policies 1985–2020, moderated by Aldo Milohnić in honour of the commemoration of the centennial and 200 issues of Maska, are displayed.