Provinca

About PROVINCA Internacional

Art should never become the object of market-oriented way of thinking. Yet, as artists have to earn their daily bread, they also have to sell, or even press themselves into service, hustled to cover their bare necessities. Therefore, the very moment art becomes a market product, it is no longer art but a product out of which merchants are the ones who have the highest profits. The portion that goes to the authors is so insignificant that they can hardly make ends meet. It is at this point where the primary role of publishers, booksellers and other arts intermediaries is lost, for they are the ones supposed to separate the wheat from the chaff and offer the best to the audience. Unfortunately, the best grains remain under so many layers of chaff that they are obscured by the so called “jungle of bestsellers” created upon purchase order and with a purpose to gain sales profit as much as possible from the consumers of art and literature who are disoriented and confused by the media. In line with the said, since glittering prizes are awarded at highest levels of arts international competitions, we would like to know more about best arts beyond Slovenia’s borders. Where to look for the best grains? Does anybody know? Are those on the pedestal really the best? What purpose and what modes underlie and select their creations? And what is most important, will anyone else know about them in a few years from now? Will they leave any traces of importance for man and society in general? Upon the two facts that it is difficult to find the answers to all these questions and that the world changes with actions and not merely with verbiage and philosophizing, a year ago we designed, i.e., gave birth to “Provinca”, a non-profit magazine for art and dialogue among cultures with an intention to highlight the best arts creations. It, thus, offers not only space for contemporary artists whose art is not found on the shelves of best-selling contemporary works, but a path leading their readers and viewers to them as well. Indeed, it is the only thing that we can do now before people finally realize that the best-sold seeds sowed have, in fact, frequently been futile. The first number of “Provinca” was released on 1 November 2016, with eight artists behind its creation. It was nevertheless immediately browsed and read by 20,000 viewers. It has simply enchanted all with exquisite photographs, texts, and visual images, flirting with minimalism. Today, Provinca’s editorial team consists of 7 people and 65 members, including the section editors, i.e., artists from various countries, gathered to work together and share their cultural and linguistic diversity. Once again, “Provinca” proves that art speaks one language only and that linguistic and cultural diversity cannot and should not be an obstacle but an advantage!!!

Ustvarjalci in snovalci revije Provinca stavimo na primarnost, na katarzično lepoto neukročenosti, v simbiozi naprezanja telesa in misli. Ne zaustavljamo se na mejah. Želimo več, doseči ljudi izven meja postavljenih po običajni podobi provincialnega človeka, želimo tisto že skoraj nedosegljivo: doseči limite človekove ustvarjalnosti in njihovo prebijanje. Prav slednje spoznanje je združilo nekaj posameznikov, da smo pričeli razmišljati o izdaji neprofitne revije za umetnost in dialog kultur – kot smo jo poimenovali. Sprva neznatna ideja se je časoma razvila v nekaj večjega, dokler slednjič ni bila dosežena kritična točka ustvarjalnih posameznikov in njihovih energij - kar je rodilo Provinco, revijo. Vemo, da za pasivnost in letargijo, ki vlada v običajni provinci, v njenem slabšalnem smislu, niso krivi le družbeni okvirji temveč posameznik, ki ne zna izstopiti iz njih. Ne sprašujemo se, kaj pomeni tak korak - ker vemo, da le duhovna in kulturna razgibanost daje našemu življenju dodatni smisel obstoja. Ponujamo odprtost in svežino, svoje najboljše, in od vseh sodelujočih pričakujemo enako. Revija Provinca ne ustvarja materialnega profita, temveč ponuja ustvarjalcem še en prostor, da se v tej urbanem kaosu sliši njihov glas.

V Provinci so vsem odprta vrata. Mi, ki govorimo jezik province, v literaturi, v vizualni umetnosti ali še kako drugače, ne glede od koder prihajamo, se bomo že razumeli. Meje jezika in kulture za nas ne obstajajo.

Dobrodošli v Provinci!