Riko Art Collection
History
Collecting of art and other forms of cultural support is known for family Škrabec already since the beginning of 20. Century. The most important cultural pulse of Janez Škrabec was time being spent in Brežice, wehre his grandfather was living. “My grandfather was the doctor and passionate admirer of culture. He was friend of Slovenian impressionists, had many books and in his villa he had plenty of styled furniture, too. All this influenced my sense for culture,” said Janez Škrabec in the interview for internet pages of Novo Mesto TV.
Strategy
Riko Art Collection is to be understood as the culmination of Janez Škrabec’s vision of supporting predominantly Slovenian visual artists by buying their art works and so building up collection comprehending now more then 300 art works – mostly paintings and sculptures from the beginning of 20. Century to nowadays. Collection is not the fruit of systematic strategy of collecting and rigorous buying politic like known for many corporate art collections, Riko Art Collection follows very personal strategy of its proprietor with huge amount of easiness.
Collection and its Artists
Riko Art Collection is paying nowadays special attention on the visual art production of last three decades. Among others includes 35 paintings by Živko Marušič, favourite contemporary painter of Janez Škrabec, as Polona Lovšin, art historian and curator of the Riko Art Collection, said for the interview for Slovenian newspaper Dobro jutro in 2008. Collection includs works by all of the most prominent Slovene artists of the 20th century, like Emerik Bernard, Sandi Červek, Gustav Gnamuš, Marijan Gumilar, Marko Jakše, Sergej Kapus, Ivo Prančič, Zdenka Žido. From young generation of Slovenian sculptorer Riko Art Collection poses works of Uršula Berlot. Further sculptorers: Stojan Batič, Mirsad Begić, Mirko Bratuša, Jakov Brdar, Lojze Dolinar, France Gorše, Stane Jarman, Boris Kalin, Tone Kralj, Matjaž Počivavšek, Karel Putriha, Lujo Vodopivec, Ivan Zajc in Vasilija Žbone.
As a result, the collection displays the dynamism, diversity and high-quality aesthetic expression of Slovene modern and contemporary visual arts. Of course, the collection is not complete; it is still growing from day to day.
Accessibility
Riko Group gathered art works in their depositories in Hrovača, small village south from Ribnica, where Škrabec´s Home is located. Since 2004 some selected works has been shown on the traditional Riko Art Collection Exhibition in Mikl House Gallery in Ribnica - among others it this municipal institution also co-supported by Riko Group. In spring 2009 were some paintings of artists mentioned above exhibited in Piran City Gallery.
Program Paris-Hrovača
Riko’s program Paris-Hrovača is from Riko Group purchased apartment with a studio in Paris, where artists – mostly graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design – can live and create without paying the rent, donating the art works created there to the Riko Art Collection. Visitors of this program in Paris are since this year supported with scholarships for living and working in the French capital as well.