Background
The members of Beli sladoled met in 1998 at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana. They created the group and had their first exhibition in Slovenske Konjice, Kulturni dom in 2006. The group claims its name Beli sladoled was chosen by chance.
The work of Miha Perne focuses on the mythological register of Western society, ranging from historical facts to futuristic projections, while Leon Zuodar uses references to subculture movements. Their work is multilayered, saturated, stylised, and repetitive. Both of them demonstrate iconographic heterogeneity and a unique way of remodelling and combining elements.
Awards
Beli sladoled won the first prize in OHO Group Award competition in 2011. On the exhibition of the nominees in the Vžigalica Gallery in May 2011 Beli sladoled presented an unconventional artwork The Winner's Podium, an installation of wood, bolts, paint, plastic grass, metal numbers, and two human beings. The artwork can be understood as a part of a parallel universe that opposes the competition.
Self-publishing
The publications of Beli sladoled are an important part of the group's production and are also often used as promotion material. Beli sladoled generally uses low-budget funds and does not sell the publications but gives them to people who are interested in drawing. Print-runs are usually about 100 copies. Beli sladoled has independently published a comic strip album ANTIŠALCE (123 pages/A5) and several drawing compilations: 10 O'CLOCK drawings (76 pages/A6), IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON – relationships drawings (24 pages/A6) and MY MSN DRAWINGS – mouse drawings (62pages/A6).
BELI SLADOLED and FRIENDS is an international drawing compilation that Beli sladoled worked on for over a year. It was published in 2008 and includes drawings of 25 excellent drawers from all Europe: Beli sladoled, Foco, Sergej, Koco, Vasja Lebarič, Matej Lavrenčič, Milanka Fabjančič, Rone84, Puma34, Oko, Pas, Ioke42, Jaka Vatovec, Nina Slejko, Conny Blom, Luka Česnik, Matjaž Bertoncelj, Dulait, Anne-May, Finsta, Aorta, Uroš Weinberger, Klemen Gorup.
Exhibitions and projects
Beli sladoled has been exhibited in Ljubljana (Ganes Pratt Gallery, International Centre of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana), Alkatraz Gallery, Novo mesto (Simulaker Gallery), Celje (Likovni salon Celje), and abroad (Stuttgart). Among their most important exhibitions are the Biennial of Graphic Arts in 2007 where they presented Anti Liquid Staircase and Galeri Rotor 2, Göteborg, Sweden in 2007 where they presented I Like Volvo Tattooz Show.