X-ray images of the floats of Slavko Tihec’s kinetic object Verticals.
Moderna galerija and the national node of the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science E-RIHS.si are presenting a selection of scientific research on Slavko Tihec’s Verticals (1969) at the Speculum Artium festival in Trbovlje.
Slavko Tihec (1928–1993) created his aquamobiles at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, driven by a desire to recreate organic movement. His kinetic sculptures are based on research and empirical experiments aimed at developing structures that are set into gentle, free movement by underwater currents and electric power. The floating forms on the surface of the water, which also produce sound, evoke associations with life and continuous transformation.
The dynamic and visually enigmatic kinetic sculpture Verticals represents one of the most radical breakthroughs in Slovenian and Yugoslav art of the second half of the 20th century. Preparations for the conservation-restoration treatment of one of Moderna galerija’s most recognisable works raise questions about how the wealth of research data can be brought together into a meaningful whole and translated into the language of experience, directly informing our understanding and preservation of the work’s materiality. Scientific analyses reveal its material composition, technological design and ageing processes, yet at the beginning, throughout and at the end of this process, it is ultimately the human hand that moves, tests and preserves the material.
Research authors: Simona Škorja, Klara Retko, Maša Kavčič, Lea Legan, Petra Beslagić, Rok Hafner, Janko Kosel, Lidija Korat Bensa, Rožle Repič, Miha Humar, Jaka Levanič, Špela Pok, Irena Kralj Cigić, Martin Šala, Matej Huš, Polonca Ropret
Project partners: Moderna galerija, European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science – Slovenia (E-RIHS.si), GreenHer Centre of Excellence, Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (ZVKDS), Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology (UL FKKT), University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty (UL BF), National Institute of Chemistry (KI), National Museum of Slovenia (NMS), Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Related programme
Aleksander Štumberger: Desire for Movement – Making Copies of Modernist Artworks
Lecture
Friday, 18 September 2026, at 17:00
In 1969, sculptor Slavko Tihec created Kinetic Object (Verticals). Yet the very element that brings the sculpture to life—water—is also the principal cause of its deterioration. Limescale accumulates on the floats, while the paint coating detaches as a result of contact with water.
Aleksander Štumberger, a master’s student in conservation and restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO), will present the process of designing a replica of one of the floats using contemporary materials, the tests carried out, the challenges posed by errors, and the inventive solutions leading to a successful result.
Desire for Movement
Workshops for families
Friday, 18 September 2026, at 10:00 and 11:00
A traditional sculptor’s studio can sometimes turn into a veritable laboratory! This is precisely what happened to sculptor Slavko Tihec when he began working on intriguing art installations that combine movement, water and sound in a constantly changing interplay of forms.
How demanding was—and is—their production, what materials are they made of, and how exactly do these moving sculptures work? Joining you will be Aleksander Štumberger, who over the past year has been using various scientific methods, in collaboration with experts and colleagues, to study their construction, materials and mechanisms. His research has shown that, despite all the information available, recreating them exactly remains extremely difficult. You will also have the opportunity to try making aquamobiles yourselves.
The workshops are suitable for children aged 3 and above. They will be led by Lucija Cvjetković from Moderna galerija.
Acknowledgement: The research was made possible by Slovensko vozlišče Evropske Raziskovalne Infrastrukture za dediščinsko znanost (infrastrukturni program I0-E012 Javne agencije za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije).
