For hardcore Modernists visiting Slovenia between the 10th February and the 22nd March the exhibition Unfinished Modernisations: Between Utopia and Pragmatism at the Maribor Art Gallery looks to be something of a treat. A number of exhibitions, lectures and books have recently spawned that look at the architectural legacy left behind the Iron Curtain. This exhibition concentrates on the former Yugoslavia and looks to understand the role architecture and urban planning played in defining Socialism itself.
Modernisation of the country was considered a collective achievement during the Socialist period. This attitude tended to engender megalomaniac projects that fit the perceived scale of the national ego. One of the exciting things to be explored are the architectural experiments that the state was able to engage in... it is all a long way from risk averse PFI procurement routes used in the UK today.
