22.01.2025

The opening of the traveling photography exhibition “No Different Life.”

On January 21, 2024, the opening of the traveling photography exhibition “No Different Life” took place at the City Hall in Ljubljana. It was created as part of the nationwide awareness campaign on the social inclusion of people with disabilities.

The opening was attended by the individuals portrayed in the exhibition, the photographer Primož Lavre, the President of the National Assembly, mag. Urška Klakočar Zupančič, the Advocate of the Principle of Equality Miha Lobnik, Deputy Mayor of the City of Ljubljana Dejan Cernek, former President Milan Kučan, and many others.

In her speech, the President of the National Assembly emphasized: “The exhibition illustrates the richness of human life in many ways. Today’s world is driven by individuality, which can quickly turn into selfishness and a lack of understanding for the needs of those who are different. But today’s exhibition helps us build the awareness that with selfishness and the exclusion of others, we remain fundamentally poorer.”

Primož Lavre about the exhibition:

“With the exhibition, I want to bring people with disabilities closer to all of us. We don’t know their stories; despite their disabilities, they live normal lives. Tomi, who is an amputee without a leg, for example, is an operational firefighter. These are noble people who are no different from us,” says Lavre. The photography took place in environments that are familiar to the disabled, where they work, create, and live. “Before the photoshoot, I met with each of them to learn their life story in detail. The photos were taken at various locations, including nature, on stage at the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, in the gym, and in a music studio,” adds the exhibition’s author.

Martina Smodiš, a para-dancer and photo model, in the photograph taken at the Drama Theater:

“Photographing with Primož was a unique experience. I liked his personal approach; you can tell he works with people with disabilities and that he has personal experience with disability himself. Through the lens, he captured exactly what we wanted to convey: that our lives are no different,” says para-dancer and translator Martina Smodiš. “It’s nice to see myself from a different perspective. I usually look at my recordings from dance competitions, but this time, I see myself through the eyes of the visitors. I think sometimes we need to look at ourselves with different eyes,” she adds.

Špela Sanabor, a photo model, in the photograph taken at NUK (National and University Library):

“It is an immense honor for me that we photographed at NUK, because it is a space of great, profound thoughts. Such thoughts can travel far through books today. I realize this every day, as I work in a library environment, among books. Great thoughts change people, and I wish to think more broadly and deeply, also in the context of accepting diversity,” says librarian Špela Sanabor.

Srečko Matkovič, a photo model, photographed on the back of his horse:

“The exhibition definitely helps promote us, people with disabilities; the photographs show the life we live and how, with collective effort, we overcome the greatest obstacles,” emphasizes the vice president of the Association of Disabled Workers of Slovenia and a great lover of nature and animals, Srečko Matkovič.

The digital photography exhibition “No Different Life” has also been published on the website of the European Disability Forum (EDF), which you can view HERE.

The exhibition will travel to various locations across Slovenia. It will be on display in the atrium of the Ljubljana City Hall until Tuesday, February 11, 2025. You are invited to visit!

Foto: Sašo Švigelj

Author: NSIOS
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