Silvan Omerzu - Automatons: The Theatre of Death

Kibela - the opening of exhibition Automatons: The Theatre of Death by Silvan Omerzu on Tuesday 18th November at 8 pm.

Automatons manufactured by: Silvan Omerzu and Žiga Lebar

Silvan Omerzu (1955) – director, painter, puppeteer
After graduating from the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana, he started working in Ljubljana Puppet Theatre. In 1983 he received a grant to study in Prague, where he completed a specialization in puppet design and set design for puppet stages. His authorial poetics has been the most strongly realised by the Konj Puppet Theatre, which staged puppet performances for adult audiences. Between the years 1994-1996 he cooperated with Minor Theatre, the main puppet theatre in Prague on a regular basis. He taught at he Theatre and Puppet School in Ljubljana and was the artistic editor of Lutka (Puppet) magazine. At the same time he would practice painting, printing, drawing, illustrating, as well as ceramic and poster design. His works were exhibited at 25 solo exhibitions and 46 group exhibitions at home and abroad. He participated in the creation of 19 stage performances. He was awarded nine international and eight national awards for his works, including the Prešeren Fund Award (2006).

"When I was young I once saw in a shop window a bird that was dipping its long beak into a glass of water in constant intervals, suddenly raising its head high as if having had enough to drink. People were stopping in front of the shop window, watching this tiny theatre with a single scene. Some time later I was in Prague standing in the crowd of people who were waiting in front of the old bell tower for the clock to chime, at the same time apostles appearing in the tower, their number corresponding to the number of chimes. There was no accidentality in the movement of the apostles, they were not moved by anybody's will and something moving of its own accord has always attracted people. It seems as if in this manner we wanted to transfer ourselves to another world, where man is not the defining criterion. A world ruled by different laws, the laws of some other origin of nature and life. Or maybe we want to get rid of ruling mechanisms by getting to know them, as horrific as they are."
Silvan Omerzu

The exhibition will be on display until 29. 11. 2008.