Galerija mesta Ptuj je odprla svoja vrata 3. marca 2017 v prenovljenih prostorih v tretjem nadstropju stavbe na Prešernovi ulici 29. Prva v neprekinjenem nizu prireditev je bila mednarodna skupinska razstava After China 2016.
Galerija v novih razstavnih prostorih na Prešernovi 29 nadaljuje žlahtno tradicijo stavbe. Zgodbe o stavbi, kakor jih pripovedujejo arhivski viri, segajo nazaj v 17. stoletje. Takrat je bila to svobodna hiša, namenjena uradom, proti koncu 19. stoletja, ko so v neposredni soseščini zgradili gimnazijo, pa so urade preuredili v dijaški dom. Leta 1939 je prostorih dijaškega doma svojo prvo samostojno razstavo pripravil gimnazijski profesor risanja France Mihelič (1907–1998). O razstavi so pisali vsi slovenski časniki in kulturniške revije. Mihelič je na ogled postavil tudi znamenitega Mrtvega kurenta, ki velja za ključno sliko v njegovem opusu in tudi za eno najpomembnejših umetnin slovenskega medvojnega slikarstva.
Ptuj slovi po bogati preteklosti in izjemni kulturni dediščini. V mestu tudi dandanašnji utripa kreativnost, ki ji je umetnost preteklih dob navdih in merilo za visoko kakovost. Izjemen obseg in kakovost sodobne likovne ustvarjalnosti, vezane na Ptuj z okolico, je izpostavila razstava Inventura (september – december 2017). Razstavišče na Prešernovi 29 ponuja odlične pogoje za predstavljanje vseh zvrsti umetnosti, razstave spremljajo katalogi in zloženke, zraven pa redno potekajo otroške likovne delavnice in strokovna vodstva. Galerija mesta Ptuj si je v kratkem pridobila zaupanje najzahtevnejših razstavljavcev in obiskovalcev, ki se v vedno večjem številu udeležujejo prireditev. Ustvarja se tudi fundus stalne zbirke. V letu 2018 je upokojeni sodnik, sicer pa aforist in zbiralec umetnin Rudi Ringbauer galeriji iz svoje zasebne zbirke daroval 300 likovnih del, z darili pa so izkazali tudi umetniki. Galerija mesta Ptuj postaja prepoznaven dejavnik na področju sodobne umetnosti v slovenskem in mednarodnem prostoru, v njen program pa je vključen tudi Mednarodni festival Art stays, ki vsako poletje na Ptuju združi širok nabor uveljavljenih ustvarjalcev z vsega sveta.
The Ptuj City Gallery opened its doors on 3 March 2017 in the renovated premises on the third floor of the building at 29 Prešernova Street.The first in a continuous series of events was the international group exhibition After China 2016.
In its new exhibition space at 29 Prešernova Street, the Gallery continues the building’s noble tradition. The stories of the building, as told in archival sources, date back to the 17th century. At that time, it was a free house used for offices, but towards the end of the 19th century, when a grammar school was built next door, the offices were converted into a boarding school. In 1939, the gymnasium’s drawing teacher, France Mihelič (1907-1998), held his first solo exhibition in the premises of the student residence. The exhibition was covered by all Slovenian newspapers and cultural magazines. Mihelič also exhibited the famous Dead Kurent, which is considered to be a key painting in his oeuvre and one of the most important works of Slovenian interwar painting.
Ptuj is renowned for its rich past and exceptional cultural heritage. Even today, the city is a pulsating pulse of creativity, for which the art of past eras is an inspiration and a benchmark of high quality. The exceptional range and quality of contemporary artistic creativity linked to Ptuj and its surroundings was highlighted by the Inventura exhibition (September – December 2017). The exhibition centre at 29 Prešernova Street offers excellent conditions for presenting all genres of art, with catalogues and leaflets accompanying the exhibitions, and children’s art workshops and expert guided tours taking place on a regular basis. The Ptuj City Gallery has quickly gained the trust of the most demanding exhibitors and visitors, who are attending the events in ever-increasing numbers. A fundus for the permanent collection is also being created. In 2018, Rudi Ringbauer, a retired judge, aphorist and art collector, donated 300 works of art from his private collection to the gallery, and artists also made donations. The Ptuj City Gallery is becoming a recognisable factor in the field of contemporary art in Slovenia and internationally, and its programme also includes the International Art Stays Festival, which brings together a wide range of established artists from all over the world in Ptuj every summer.
> več / more (Zgodovina hiše / History of the building)
