The tile of the project – Silent Revolutions – alludes to a country with an exceptional design history which has not (yet) established itself as an influential design force in the wider European context. The “silence” implied in the story was a key motivator behind the concept of the exhibition, where a broad array of recent designs is set in a dialogue with five historical, iconic design objects. The other component – the idea of a “revolution” – suggests that some of the products and designs presented set new, unparalleled standards world wide with the ground-breaking innovations they boldly put forward.

The exhibition focuses not only on the excellence of individual products but also on their position in the broader context of contemporary Slovenian design. This context changed significantly with Slovenia’s declaration of independence in 1991 and with its sudden leap into the free-market economy and all that comes with it. As a result, the exhibition introduces not only exceptional products and designers, but also clients, producers and companies that played a crucial, pivotal role in the realisation of the projects. Special attention is drawn to innovative approaches, noteworthy strategies, inspiring visions and new design mentalities in today’s fast-changing economic landscapes. The selection highlights products of both big industries developing their own brands as well as special limited edition objects produced by the designers themselves. Gorenje, famed for its creative and inspiring appliances, also plays an integral role in the Silent Revolutions exhibition with its Gorenje Simplicity line which was designed as a response to the contemporary trends in living and which has seen great market success.

As a whole, the exhibition works to point up the exceptional and heterogeneous character of the moment. Despite various coexistent approaches within the field of Slovenian design, however, some clearly individual chapters of a complex story emerge. And these vital, dynamic differences are singled out and developed as both the driving force and the main common denominator of contemporary design in Slovenia.