“the Art of Forging and the Forging of Art”

The above title was given a few years ago to the international gathering of wrought iron forgers, designers and artists held in Kropa. The centuries-old tradition of iron-forging in Kropa, represented in its wrought iron creations, must be shared with a broader European public as an example of our knowledge, will and confidence — a public to which it has historically belonged in spite of many decades of violent interruption. But not just belonged; with our ideas and broad knowledge we have contributed to the rich mosaic of European heritage and culture. Continuous exchange and co-operation, both as people as well as blacksmithing technicians, bears witness to the wishes and efforts of our strengths, that the “forged word” knows no boundaries.

In the year 2000 we prepared the first gathering of this kind, which we now continue to present annually. With great satisfaction we make certain that the project’s “parents” and all the friends of Kropa still collaborate — artists and smiths who are present at the annual “Smith’s Day” festivities.

The basic aim of the “Art of Forging and the Forging of Art” is the exploration and “forging” of new designs and solutions in a style that is still in harmony with the tradition of wrought iron-forging in Kropa, whose most important representative was the internationally recognised master Joža Bertoncelj. The smiths gathering in Kropa stimulates and preserves blacksmith skills which are not founded on industrial manufacturing: wrought iron forging working only with orange-yellow hot iron and using only true blacksmithing tools (iron, fire, hammer), the co-operation of the traditional and the contemporary, both in the field of ideas as in the blacksmith’s grip. In short, the top-quality forging and expression in iron which lets the blacksmith’s art rise alongside other art forms.

Jože Plečnik and his colleague and namesake from Kropa Bertoncelj wrote about the antiquity of Slovene architecture:

“I know that it is possible to create beautiful, noble things from iron — but more than money, fashion is the deciding factor.”

The “The Art of Forging and the Forging of Art” smiths gathering is devoted precisely to the changing of fashion. Up till now we have presented our work, effort and joy with lectures and exhibitions in Kropa, Radovljica, Kranj, Slovenj Gradec, Lokovec na Banjški planoti, Tržič, Metlika and Vienna (Austria).

The permanent collection “The Art of Forging and the Forging of Art” is on view today in the exhibition spaces of its main sponsor, the company UKO Kropa.

We continue to forge in Kropa even today. The sound of hammer blows which echo across the Kropa basin remind of the past, of the jubilee which we celebrate this year, while decisively dictating a vision for the future — at UKO Kropa we have this vision.