Surprisingly, the Cultural Bazaar 2022 was opened by a natural scientist, Prof Dr Zvezdan Pirtošek, Head of the Department of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ljubljana, with its plenary lecture Art as an Intertwining of Senses, Thoughts, Movement and Emotions: Neurobiological Pathways to the Well-Being of Human and Society. He proved that cooperation between science and art is now not only possible but essential. They even intertwine so profoundly that we can no longer speak of the two parallel cultures that Charles Percy Snow wrote about seventy years ago in his famous essay The Two Cultures. People need culture and art more than ever in challenging times like war and pandemics. We look for them because we intuitively feel that the changes they cause lead to well-being and health. Music, artistic creation, enjoying the culture, visiting a gallery, etc., build our brains the way we want them to. Thus, art comforts and heals us. Although it seems inaccessible in its shell – the skull, the brain can quickly synchronise with others in collaborative activities. Colloquially, we say we are ‘on the same wavelength’ with someone. Scientists have found that mirror neurons allow us to connect with other people, and art is a particularly powerful synchroniser. The entire lecture was broadcast live by the ARS programme and is available on their
YouTube channel (in Slovenian).
The market of cultural goods offered more than 40 events of various types, from lectures, film screenings, performances and presentations to round tables, talks, workshops and guided tours. From a diverse range of content, participants were able to design a programme according to their needs and desires. The entire event was also enriched by the Bazaar Hip Route, which connected the exhibition areas of cultural institutions. In the Grand Reception Hall, all cultural and artistic education areas were shown, while the First Foyer hosted culture and art in connection with other areas. The presence of numerous individuals and groups striving to improve, enhance and enrich our lives raises hopes for the future.
