Public Guided Tour of Maja Poljanc’s Exhibition

You are kindly invited to a public guided tour led by KATARINA DAJČMAN
of the exhibition by MAJA POLJANC

Hortus Conclusus

at Miha Maleš Gallery, on Friday, 13 March 2026, at 6:00 PM.

Katarina Dajčman, art historian and curator at the Dolenjska Museum Novo mesto, will present the exhibition HORTUS CONCLUSUS by the artist Maja Poljanc.

Maja Poljanc (1989) is a Slovenian illustrator known for her distinctive style, in which she often combines elements of scientific illustration with ornaments inspired by Slovenian cultural heritage. In 2018, she obtained her Master’s degree in Visual Communication from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Ljubljana. Her work is characterized by precision and narrative depth, which is also reflected in her extensive portfolio.

As the author of the first illustrated encyclopedia of Slovenian mythological creatures, Maja Poljanc has taken an important step in the visual representation of the Slovenian mythological pantheon. The exhibition presents 32 original illustrations of mythological beings. Slavic—more specifically Slovenian—mythology is rich in deities that arise from Slavic mythic consciousness and are often connected with various aspects of nature. The exhibition features numerous deities, such as Kresnik, Perun, Svarog, and the goddess Mokoš, to whom our ancestors attributed supernatural powers. The artist also illustrates beings from demonological tradition—nature spirits and household spirits, various monsters and creatures, as well as the souls of the cursed who, according to tradition, return to the world of the living.

Since completing her studies, Maja Poljanc has also devoted herself skillfully to the challenges of pure book illustration. Through her ability to combine contemporary visual expression with reminiscences of the past and elements of folk art, she increasingly collaborates with various Slovenian writers.

You are cordially invited.