Maja Poljanc - Hortus Conclusus #forwardintothepast #heritageconnects

Heritage is not merely a reflection of the past, but a living and constantly evolving source of inspiration that enables contemporary art to establish a dialogue between past and present. Artists recognize within it a wealth of symbols, stories, forms, and knowledge, which they reinterpret through modern visual languages. In this way, heritage does not remain trapped in history; rather, through artistic practice, it is continually revived, transformed, and situated within the current cultural context. It thus becomes a bridge between generations, as well as a space for exploring identity, collective memory, and cultural belonging.

Maja Poljanc (1989) is a Slovenian illustrator with a distinctly recognizable style in which art organically transitions into the field of heritage. Her works often intertwine elements of scientific illustration with ornaments derived from Slovenian cultural tradition, creating a visual language that feels both contemporary and deeply rooted in the past. 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 artistic practice is marked by precision and narrative richness, clearly reflected in her extensive portfolio.

A special place in her oeuvre is occupied by the first encyclopedia of Slovenian mythological beings, Encyclopedia Mythologica Slovenica, for which she received the student Prešeren Award and a commendation at the 13th Slovenian Biennial of Illustration. This project directly brings heritage to life—translating forgotten or lesser-known figures from mythological tradition into a contemporary visual narrative. Her illustrations have been published in numerous books and magazines, including Pesmi potujočega mačka by Svetlana Makarovič, the fantasy novel The World Is a Shadow (Svet je senca) by Julija Lukovnjak (Edgar Chaos), Bel konjiček by Sebastijan Pregelj, as well as in the scientific textbook Koža in kožne bolezni and the journal Razpotja.

She has presented her work at numerous exhibitions both in Slovenia and abroad, including the Frankfurt Book Fair (2023), Bologna (2024), the Illustration Centre, Vodnik Homestead, DobraVaga Gallery, Kino Šiška, Jakopič Gallery, Cankarjev dom, UGM Maribor, and Ilustrofest in Belgrade. She lives and works in Ljubljana.

As the author of the first illustrated encyclopedia of Slovenian mythological beings, Maja Poljanc has taken an important step in the contemporary visual interpretation of the Slovenian mythological pantheon. The exhibition presents 32 original illustrations that reveal the richness of Slavic—more precisely Slovenian—mythology, a world in which deities are closely connected to natural forces and everyday human life. Among them are Kresnik, Perun, Svarog, and the goddess Mokoš, to whom our ancestors attributed supernatural powers. The author also engages with the demonological tradition, depicting nature spirits, household spirits, various monsters, and the souls of the cursed, who—according to folk belief—return to the world of the living.

Since completing her studies, Maja Poljanc has increasingly devoted herself to book illustration, where she skillfully combines contemporary visual expression with reminiscences of the past and elements of folk art. It is precisely in this interplay between art and heritage that the core of her creative approach emerges—one that opens space for dialogue between past and present, while preserving heritage as a living and inspiring source of contemporary visual culture.

Saša Bučan
#forwardintothepast #heritageconnects