In 1978, Klub starih goriških študentov [Former Students of Gorizia Club] commissioned Negovan Nemec (1947–1987), the first academically educated sculptor of the post-war generation in the Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca, to make a bust of poet, translator and judge Dr. Alojz Gradnik (1882–1967), erected on the avenue of the great on Erjavčeva ulica in Nova Gorica.
Standing on a high stone base is a bronze bust of poet Alojz Gradnik. It was unveiled on 15 October 1978. Negovan Nemec depicted the person in mature years. His sense for studying the character of the portrayed can be gathered from the work itself. He included energetic emphases, which can be seen in Gradnik’s raising of his left eyebrow, to make the realistically created portrait more dynamic. To sculpt the face, Nemec used fluctuating forms with which he created a soft interchanging of light and shadow. The chest of the sculpture was made with only a few lines, which form the shirt and the bow tie around the neck. An expressive face and a schematically designed chest were created to draw the viewers’ attention to the portrait. The sculptor’s signature and the year of origin can be found on the back side of the sculpture.
Literature and Sources:
Miran HLADNIK, Tone PRETNAR, Gradnik, Alojz, Enciklopedija Slovenije, 3, Eg–Hab, Ljubljana, 1989, str. 367–68.
Pavla JARC, Javni spomeniki in skulpture v mestu, Na začetku je bila črta. 70 let likovne ustvarjalnosti v mestu, Goriški muzej, Nova Gorica 2017, str. 120–147.
Nelida NEMEC, Živeti z njim, Galerija Nemec, Bilje 1997.
Negovan Nemec. Skulpture, Galerija Meblo, Nova Gorica 1981.
Negovan Nemec deset let pozneje. Retrospektiva 1947–1987, Goriški muzej, Nova Gorica 1997.
Negovan Nemec – 20 let pozneje, Mestna galerija Nova Gorica, Nova Gorica 2007.
Nace ŠUMI, Nelida NEMEC, Negovan Nemec, Ljubljana in Nova Gorica 1991.
Franc ZADRAVEC, Alojz Gradnik, Ljubljana 1981.
Franc ZADRAVEC, Pesnik Alojz Gradnik 1882–1967, Ljubljana 1999.
Franc ZADRAVEC, Gradnikova poezija do Padajočih zvezd (1902–1916), Dialogi 3, 1967.
Doroteja Kotnik (25. 4. 2019)
Negovan Nemec, Monument to Alojz Gradnik, 1978, Erjavčeva ulica, Nova Gorica
