Venustas – The Poetics of Architects

Architectural creation does not begin or end with the design of buildings or the organization of space. Behind the plans, floor plans, and models stands a creative personality whose way of thinking often transcends the boundaries of the architectural discipline and is also expressed through fine arts and other visual media. Drawing, painting, photography, and other visual works are not merely accompaniments to architectural practice, but independent modes of exploring space, light, form, humanity, and the world.

The exhibition presents this lesser-known yet essential part of the architects’ creative oeuvre. The works on display are not preparatory studies for an architectural project or interpretations of it, but rather autonomous works of art that reveal the personal sensibility, imagination, memory, intuition, and individual poetics of each artist. While architecture links creativity to the demands of function, structure, and space, the fine arts and visual media allow for a freer exploration of ideas, images, and sensations.

The exhibition’s title derives from Vitruvius’s concept of venustas, which, in addition to beauty, also denotes the creative dimension of architectural thought—the ability to observe, interpret, and express oneself artistically. At a time when architectural practice is increasingly shaped by digital tools and technological processes, the exhibition highlights the enduring value of personal creative expression, regardless of the medium chosen. Drawing, photography, painting, or other visual forms remain important starting points for an architect’s understanding of space and the world.

Each artist develops their own distinctive artistic or visual language and chooses the medium that best suits their creative expression. The works differ from one another just as much as their creative poetics differ. Yet they are united by curiosity, an openness to the world, and a joy in creating. Together, they reveal that artistic and visual expression are an inseparable part of an architect’s creative thinking and an important source of their understanding of space, people, and culture.

This series of two exhibitions features a total of 10 artists from the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, and set design. The first exhibition is dedicated to the following artists: Peter Gabrijelčič, Meta Hočevar, Uroš Lobnik, Tanja Simonič Korošak, and Robert Potokar. The second exhibition, which will follow the first next year, will feature the following artists: Blaž Budja, Jurij Kobe, Ana Kučan, Aleksander Saša Ostan, and Janko Zadravec.

The exhibition is conceived as an open platform for presenting the visual art of architects and landscape architects, with the hope of showcasing a broader circle of artists in the future.

Exhibition concept and curators

Uroš Lobnik, Robert Potokar

Introductory text

Miha Dešman

Exhibitors

Peter Gabrijelčič, Meta Hočevar, Uroš Lobnik, Tanja Simonič Korošak, Robert Potokar

Graphic design

Ivan Ilić

Producer

Gallery DESSA

November 2026