The First Decade
During its first decade, the collection was developed under the professional guidance of the art historian and critic Stane Bernik, in collaboration with an advisory board that included Milček Komelj and Lojze Logar. Rather than following representational or market-oriented criteria, acquisitions were based on art-historical research and aimed at building a coherent collection reflecting the development of Slovenian visual art across different generations and media.
Presentation
From its beginnings, the collection was conceived as an active public resource rather than a closed corporate collection. Works from the collection have been presented through exhibitions at the former Avla NLB Gallery (today MUZA TR2 Gallery), in museums and galleries throughout Slovenia, and through long-term loans to public cultural institutions. Today, the collection is professionally managed by the MUZA Museum and Gallery, which is responsible for its research, documentation, conservation, acquisitions and public presentation. In addition to caring for artworks displayed throughout NLB's headquarters and branch offices, MUZA organises exhibitions in its museum and gallery on Čopova Street and at MUZA TR2 Gallery, making the collection accessible through exhibitions, educational programmes and research activities.
Recognising its outstanding cultural value, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia declared the collection a protected cultural heritage ensemble in 2018, ensuring its long-term preservation as an integral whole.
A defining characteristic of the NLB Art Collection is its dialogue between heritage and contemporary artistic production. While preserving key works of Slovenian modern art, the collection continues to grow through the acquisition of contemporary works. In recent years, its collecting strategy has expanded towards a broader Southeast European context, incorporating artists from different cultural backgrounds while maintaining a particular focus on emerging and mid-career generations.
This regional expansion was initially guided by the NLB Art Council, which in its first composition in 2023 comprised Tevž Logar (Chair; independent curator, editor and consultant), Mira Gakjina (at that time Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Skopje), Maja Kolarić (Director of the Museum of Contemporary art in Belgrade), and Meta Kordiš (Coordinator; curator at the MUZA Museum and Gallery).
To further develop this vision, the expanded MUZA Artistic Council was established in May 2026. This internationally conceived advisory body contributes to the development of the collection, the museum’s programme orientations, and the institution’s positioning within the wider regional and international context. Bringing together distinguished professionals from the fields of contemporary art, museology, and cultural production, the Council strengthens international dialogue under the leadership of its President, Vanja Žanko (curator and founder of the Croatian Office for Contemporary Art NOMAD), alongside members Adela Demetja (Director of the National Gallery of Arts of Albania), Miha Colner (senior curator at the Božidar Jakac Gallery), Ana Frangovska (museum advisor at the National Gallery of North Macedonia), and Sarita Vujković (Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Republika Srpska).
See also
External links
- MUZA Museum and Gallery website
- Information about Nova Ljubljanska banka (NLB) Art Collection on MUZA website