Marko Pogačnik’s project The Model of Human Existence on Earth in accordance with his principle of equaling art with life - based on his experience of conceptual art practices - was developed in the Museum of Fine Art(through two lectures followed by a workshop, finally culminating in the ambient installation set.
The installation is set in sequence of Museum’s three spaces in order to create individual experience of the processes that shape men’s (humans) everyday world in reference to local sites according the geomantic map of the city of Split.
The first space represents primordial forces of Earth, the roots of creation presented in the form of mandorla (symbol of life, i.e., the seed from which all life arises) made of stones and pebbles with glass applications. Three stones with dragon cosmogram symbolizing ancient forces are installed on mandorla’s perimeter. According the geomantic map of Split, the installation in the first space represents Marjan, the local hill.
The second space, the Museum’s hall, is converted into the labyrinth that symbolizes life through which we pass every day. Upon entering the Museum visitors must pass through a maze made of semi-transparent fabric hung in the hallway, which imposes a meandering motion through the space. Phases of passing through the “maze of life” are marked with cosmograms made of transparent fiber glass (). According the geomantic map of Split the maze corresponds with Diocletian's palace.
The third vertical space is the three storey high museum’s stairwell. The installation presents cosmic inspiration spiraling from Heavens down to us in the form of cosmograms made of felt fabric in different colors. At the very bottom of the spiral, cylindrical shapes made of wood soaked in scented oil with differently treated surfaces are available for visitors’ direct inspection.
Curated by Branko Franceschi.
The exhibition is organized in cooperation with The Typhlological Museum in Zagreb.
Marko Pogačnik was born 1944 in Kranj, Slovenia, graduated as sculptor on the Academy od Fine Arts in Ljubljana 1967. With his family he lives in Šempas, Slovenia. He is developing art active in the fields of ecology. geomancy, social movements and individual spiritual development.
From 1965 to 1971 he worked as a member of OHO group in the fields of conceptual art and land-art. Exhibitions include Information Show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York 1970, Aktionsraum, Munich, 1970, and Global Conceptualism Show 1950-80, Queens Museum of Art, New York, 1999
In 1971 he founded together with his family and friends, a rural and artistic community, the "Šempas Family" at Šempas, Slovenia. This existed up to 1979. Exhibitions by the Family include Trigon 1977 in Graz and the Venice Biennalle of 1978.
Since 1979 he is engaged in geomantic and Earth healing work. In the mid 80-s he has developed a method of Earth healing similar to acupuncture, by using stone pillars with carved cosmograms, positioned on acupuncture points of the given landscape. He calles it "lithopuncture".
Lithopuncture works include: Lithopuncture of two castle parks in Germany, Türnich (1986-89) and Cappenberg (1988-92), Lithopuncture of the territory on both sides of the border between North Ireland and Republics of Ireland, Orchard Gallery, Derry (1991-92), Lithopuncture of the urban ambiences of Villach (1995), Klagenfurt, (1998), Bad Radkersburg (2001) and Nova Gorica (2001-02), St,Veit a.d.Glann (2004), "Alpenstern", a crossalpic lithopuncture project with lithopuncture stones in Italy (Merano), Austria (Villach), Slovenia (Maribor) and Germany (Chiemsee) (1997), Lithopuncture of Circuito das Aguas, Minas Gerais, Brasil (1998), Seeland lithopuncture network, Switzerland (1998-2002), Aachen lithopuncture network, Ludwig Forum Aachen, (1999), Lithopuncture project on both sides of the border between Austria and Slovenia in Carinthia, (1999-2002), etc. Lithopuncture of the urban environment of Quito, Ecuador (2003), Lithopuncture Prague (2005-2006), Lithopuncture Bad Pyrmont, Germany (2006), Litopuncture od the Regional hospilal’s territory in Klagenfurt, Austria (2005-2006), Lithopuncture Hawkwood College, Stroud, Great Britain (2008),Lithopuncture of Norton Commons, Louiseville, Kentucky, USA, 2010
After 2005 he dedicates much of his work to creating Geopuncture Circles, a world wide project to enhance communication with the Earth consciousness that he crates together with his collaborators from given countries. Geopuncture Circles stand already in Portugal, Croatia, in Czech Republics, on Canarian Islands, in Austria, Slovenia and USA.
His books in English: Nature Spirits and Elemental Beings (1996) Healing the Heart of the Earth (1998) Christ Power and the Earth Goddess (1999) Earth Changes, Human Destiny (2000) The Daughter of Gaia (2001), Turned Upside Down (2004), Touching the Breath of Gaia (2005), Sacred Geography (2007), Gaia’s Quantum Leap (2011)
He teaches geomancy on the School for Geomancy "Hagia Chora", Germany, runs courses on wholistic ecology, geomancy and personal development in many countries worldwide, and provides counseling on the issues of urban development and landscape design.
He is president of the VITAAA Association for the Coexistence of Human beings, Nature and Space.