NMMA: According to Goran Milovanović, curator of your first solo exhibition at the Josip Račić Gallery in Zagreb, you are one of the most prominent painters in Slovenia. How did your professional journey begin and evolve?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: There is nothing particularly remarkable about it, my interest in visual art has been longstanding, and pursuing studies in that field felt like the most logical path for me. But when you actually start studying, completely new worlds and possibilities, previously unknown to you, begin to open up. This fascination with the unknown persists to this day, and I believe it is crucial for the vocation of an artist.

NMMA: You are presenting ten oil paintings created in the last four years to the cultural audience of Zagreb, at the aforementioned exhibition in the Josip Račić Gallery. This period was marked by the coronavirus pandemic, lockdowns, social distancing... How much time did you spend in nature, and did you connect with it in a deeper way? How much did this global situation influence the creation of your Antiarcadia series?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: The most significant shift in my perception of nature occurred when I relocated from Ljubljana to Vipava in 2019. Previously, my studio was in the basement, offering a view of the neighbouring house façade. In Vipava, however, I was presented with a completely different view of the landscape’s structure, atmospheric effects, ambiance..., which consequently began to appear in my works. To the extent that the atmosphere became the main protagonist of my paintings. The pandemic itself did not have a significant impact on this; I also consciously avoided dealing with themes related to the coronavirus.

NMMA: What distinguishes the perception of the aforementioned landscapes from that of your earlier works?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: My landscapes are always a product of fiction rooted in reality, in memories, emotions, and fleeting glimpses of scenery. As previously noted, the foremost shift lies in the perception of the scene’s atmosphere.

NMMA: How nostalgic are you, and is this reflected in your paintings?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: My paintings are mostly created as a result of reflections on the present time and the world we live in, and I believe there is no room for nostalgia in that. If it does appear in a motif, it is for a very specific purpose.

NMMA: In the foreword of the accompanying exhibition catalogue, the exhibition curator writes that time is a significant category for you? In what sense?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: Time is always an intriguing category in painting because it is a static, two-dimensional medium. In my work, I’m primarily interested in the fusion of space and time into one, creating a sort of post-time, a time without time, which allows me to open up the painting to narratives that I couldn’t imagine without that fusion.

NMMA: Apart from painting, have you ever expressed yourself in any other medium?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: Yes, I gave up painting towards the end of my studies at the Academy in Ljubljana, and worked, as part of various collectives, on several conceptual art projects related to theory, installations, video. During that time, I also wrote a lot. I later transferred that knowledge and working methodology back into painting.

NMMA: Who are your artistic role models?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: Inspirations often change, but every now and then, names like Edward Hopper, Liu Xiaodong, Nicole Eisenman, Edvard Munch, Verne Dawson come to mind.

NMMA: Are you familiar with the work of the Croatian painter Ljubo Babić and his landscapes, and do you find any connections between them and your own reflections on the same theme?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: No, I must admit that I am not familiar with Ljubo Babić’s work. But I’ll gladly explore his art in the future.

NMMA: Where would you like to present your work one day?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: I don’t have any particular preferences. Probably where the audience is genuinely interested in art, as that is the main reason for visiting galleries.

Prepared by: Lana Šetka
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb