LJUBLJANA - ZAGREB - BELGRADE

Instrumentality of the State Machine – Ljubljana - Zagreb - Belgrade, painted, signed, and stamped by Laibach

This painting is a blown-up version of a black and white poster of the 1987 tour of Yugoslavia called "Bloody Ground – Fertile Land", based on Laibach’s 1985 song. The poster’s original name was “Ljubljana – Zagreb – Belgrade”.

In 1987 when Slobodan Milošević was already championing the nationalist policy of Greater Serbia and general nationalist and economic tensions in Yugoslavia were escalating, the break-up of the country no longer seemed very far away. At the 12th Congress in Krško, the Union of Socialist Youth of Slovenia (ZSMS) submitted a request to lift the ban on the use of the name Laibach and allow the group to function normally. The ban was lifted the following year and on 25th September 1987 Laibach, at the invitation of the UK ZSMS (University Conference of the ZSMS), gave a concert under its own name at the Golovec Hall in Celje. On this occasion (in collaboration with the NK - New Collectivism studio) a poster was created, the design of which is also the basis for this present painting. It shows Yugoslavia as an 'empty space', with fire burning all around, mercilessly surrounding the country. The figure of the dove dominates the foreground, but it gives the impression that it is perhaps more 'trapped' in the hands, looking as if it is no great hurry to reach freedom or peace that it represents.

Created by members of Laibach, signed with four names (Eber, Saliger, Dachauer and Keller), and stamped with the group's emblem as well as their collective signature.

Terms and details:

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