RIVER

In the past, the Sora riverbed defined the formation of the town of Škofja Loka and its name (SSKJ: lóka -e ž (ọ́) swampy meadow by the water: hay is dried on the arch / Škofja Loka). At the same time the river strongly influenced the development of the city. Sawmills, blacksmithing, milling and hat-production developed near the river. It was because of Sora that Krenner’s cloth factory was established in the old town, on the foundations of which the Hat Factory Šešir later operated. With its power, the river also enabled Krenner’s factory to produce its own electricity. The surplus enabled Škofja Loka to be the first city in Carniola to obtain electrified city lighting in 1894. At the end of the Šešir hat factory’s operation the modern textile center of Kreativnice was established next to the factory as the need to continue the creative and development potential of the textile factories. This potential remains today. Just as the river used to supply the city with electricity, today the creative textile community supplies the city with creativity.

The Sora connects the Poljanska and Selška valleys with its riverbeds, and has always provided space on its banks for relaxation and time for people to connect with nature. The river revives the city and refreshes it. The symbolic meaning of the connection carried by the rivers is also woven into the textile installation REKA / RIVER. We are at a time when clean water and a healthy environment are at stake, and the concern for responsible coexistence is not among the highest social values. REKA / RIVER activates us and calls for a more responsible living of all. Our rivers invite us to their banks to admire nature and time for ourselves. They invite us to inhale and exhale.

The creative textile center of Kreativnice is located on Spodnji trg in Škofja Loka. It is a creative and working space, an exhibition and sales studio. It connects various artists, primarily those who build upon the rich textile heritage with a contemporary approach. In this way, it establishes a successful dynamic and inspiring work environment for the innovative development of new locally made textile products. It connects a group of women, textile designers and creators who express themselves in various textile techniques. The manual production of unique products from natural materials with high usable and aesthetic value and quality is what they all have in common. Their inspiration is the nature and the city of Škofja Loka, its history, cultural heritage and artistic charge.