UPCOMING: The Year of Vlasto Kopač – on the 20th Anniversary of His Death

An exceptionally rich legacy of Vlasto Kopač is preserved in Slovenian museums, research institutions, archives, and the media. Today, his estate is safeguarded and studied by the Intermunicipal Museum Kamnik; the Museum and Galleries of the City of Ljubljana – Plečnik House; the Museum of Architecture and Design; the National Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia; the Upper Sava Museum Jesenice – the Slovenian Alpine Museum; the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Slovenia; numerous institutes of ZRC SAZU; RTV Slovenia; as well as various individuals and other institutions that ensure his work remains publicly accessible.

On 27 April 2026, twenty years will have passed since the death of Vlasto Kopač. On this occasion, the partner institutions will dedicate the year to the memory of this remarkable individual whose breadth of work profoundly marked the Slovenian cultural landscape. Kopač was an alpinist and mountaineer, a mountain rescuer and a student of Jože Plečnik, an architect, conservator, draughtsman, and designer. His work also extended into the fields of cartography, the collection of movable heritage, and folk tradition, all united by an unwavering commitment to the protection of natural and cultural heritage.

Through numerous events and programs, we aim to restore Kopač to his deserved place in the nation’s collective memory and to present his life and work comprehensively to both professional and general audiences. In his memory and in tribute to his work, the following will be published and organized:

• a monographic volume (proceedings);

• a series of exhibitions presenting his vast creative oeuvre.

We will also organize:

• a symposium on Kopač and his role in various projects;

• public guided tours of his monuments and heritage;

• lectures and discussion evenings with people who personally knew Vlasto Kopač, worked with him, and/or collaborated with him;

• several screenings of a documentary film about Vlasto Kopač, illuminating his difficult life story and presenting his outstanding works and achievements;

• guided tours of his monuments and various workshops.

The goal of this joint project is to present Vlasto Kopač in a comprehensive manner to both professional and wider audiences. He was a steadfast and upright personality, a visionary, an artist, and a guardian of heritage. Thanks to him, many valuable monuments, drawings, plans, objects, songs, records, and other materials have survived the passage of time at all.

On 25 February 2026 at 10:30 a.m., a press conference will be held at the Plečnik House, Karunova Street 4–6, Ljubljana, where the annual calendar of events dedicated to the memory, work, and life of Vlasto Kopač will be presented. Follow us on our websites:

https://www.muzej-kamnik-on.net/
https://www.facebook.com/muzej.kamnik/