“In this personal exhibition, reminiscences of Algeria in the 1960s, especially of numerous family journeys around Algeria where we lived between 1963 and 1967, are conjured by archival photographs and the traditional craft objects on view from the family’s Algerian collection. These are but glimpses of remembering that time in Algeria and fragments of testimonies of the richness of natural and cultural heritage of this North African country, which shine through in the present.” (Nina Zdravič)

The exhibition presents the Berber arts and crafts as the carriers of memories interwoven with the stories of people and places. They include jewellery, carpets, pottery, copper products and clothes. The Berber arts and crafts raise interest in the use of signs and symbols of geometric patterns and figures, triangles, rosettes, diamonds, circles, lines and dots. The decorative motifs on jewellery, carpets, ceramics and clothing show an abundance of ideas and are artistic philosophical interpretations of the world and life, religion and mysticism. 

Unique scenes of Algerian landscapes are featured in the exhibition video projection – a garland of old slides and photographs from the family archive. The exhibition also unveils a small collection of original black and white artistic photographs of the desert, taken in 1965 by the recognised Algerian photographer Abdeslam Khelil, from the oasis town of Ouargla in Sahara, which were given to Nina Zdravič’s father.
 
Read more about exhibition chapters in the attachments.

Exhibition Curator and Author: Nina Zdravič 
Contributing Researchers: dr. Marko Frelih, SEM, dr. Bojana Rogelj Škafar, SEM
Design interpretation of the exhibition's conceptual content and graphic design: Mojca Turk
Texts: Nina Zdravič 
Video from photographs: Andrej Zdravič 
Exhibition Coordinator: mag. Maja Kostric Grubišić, SEM
Other collaborators from the Slovene Ethnographic Museum:
Documentation and digitisation of the photographic archive: Blaž Verbič 
Restorers: mag. Ana Motnikar, Jožica Mandelj Novak, Gregor Kos, Žiga Rehar 
Communications and Programmes: mag. Maja Kostric Grubišić, Živa Brecelj, Maja Kocjan
Programmes and Educational activities: Sonja Kogej Rus  
Library: Gregor Ilaš
Technical support: Silvester Lipovšek, Boštjan Marolt
Author of photographs: dr. Franjo Zdravič MD iand A.Z., Algeria 1963 - 1967. Black & white photographs from Sahara: Abdeslam Khelil, 1965 
Script and restoration of photographs for the video: Andrej Zdravič    
Collection of objects and photographs in the exhibition: Zapuščina družine Zdravič / Family legacy