My Metelkova: faces from Ljubljana's indie culture centre (17 images)
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Cafebabel ENG (NS)I land in Slovenia without the slightest clue of the country, not even how to spell the name of the capital. I had some ‘cheap Balkan prejudices’ about how the capital would look, yet it appeared rather like a little Austrian city. I did know that I wanted to explore Metelkova mesto, an independent cultural zone famed for its nightlife and alternative lifestyle. In 1990 the culture ministry granted the former military barracks (for the Austro-Hungarian and later Yugoslav armies) a new role, for ‘peaceful and creative’ use, allowing 200 anti-violence organisations lease of the space. Promises belied the good nature of this goal, and so a group of activists squatted the area to evade its destruction in 1995, creating a small independent republic of energies, histories and diverse cultures inside Ljubljana
This image gallery is part of the tenth and final edition in cafebabel.com’s 2012 feature focus series on 'MultiKulti' aka ‘multiculturalism in Europe’. Many thanks to the team at cafebabel.com Ljubljana
Sculptures on one side of a building in Metelkova Mesto; there are two huge courtyards (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Another facade of one of the buildings in Metelkova (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
'Travelling around Europe alone is boring,' says Martin, a 20-year-old from Prague who practices traditional swordfighting and is also a horse rider. 'Actually, I want to buy a horse to go to Mongolia with my girlfriend. I'd also like to buy a little house in Romania, a country which I love, and be close to the Ukrainian border' (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Generations come together at Metelkova (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Nejc, a barman at the jalla jalla club, which was established in 2006. Their myspace page states: 'We are really open for foreigners but we can't pay the travel expences. This place is a unity of hinduism_islam_serbian ortodox_jewish_and other religions_with_comunism and socialism. PunK and RaiNbow gatherings [sic]' (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Efa Supertramp, 21, is from Wales and just got to Ljubljana from Sofia on her first central/ eastern European tour . She sings at Jalla Jall. She is being hosted at the artist workshop ROG during her stay in Slovenia, and will then be kicking off (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Leigh is half Canarian, half Irish, was born in Venezuelam raised in Ireland, came to do her erasmus student exchange programme in Slovenia and is now living with Gregory, a local who works as a translator from English. 'I am not working in something that I really want to, but I am happy and have learnt Slovenian' (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Leigh in front of one the studios she first worked in when she came to Ljubljana (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
An old Ljubljana bus has been transformed into a moving library by the artists in Metelkova (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Foto di © Eloisa d'Orsi.
Metelkova defines itself as a 'social space with an informal and inspiring atmosphere' (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Malala is the daughter of a famous singer from Madagascar who she started singing with professionally. Pictured, she eats a pizza with her own daughter and Tschepo, a South-African artist who she met during an artists residency in Bali (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Tschepo from South Africa was born into modest means. He went off to study in Indonesia before being able to do what he really wanted to, and become an artist (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
(Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Foto di © Eloisa d'Orsi.
The barwoman at Hostel Celica, which greets visitors at the entrance to Metelkova. 'I really like my job because I can meet people from everywhere and speak in lots of different languages. Ultimately I'd like to go to Africa though' (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Dancing at Jalla Jalla during a cumbia and Latin music evening, with music from an African DJ (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
This image gallery is part of the tenth and final edition in cafebabel.com’s 2012 feature focus series on 'MultiKulti' aka ‘multiculturalism in Europe’. Many thanks to the team at cafebabel.com Ljubljana
Julia and Katia on the roof of Tovarno Rog(ROG), an artist workshop in Metelkova. Julia wants to be a singer and Katia, a model. Both will go to Lose Angeles next year to find their dreams - they hope they will make it (Image: © Eloisa d'Orsi for 'MultiKulti' aka 'multiculturalism on the ground', Ljubljana 2012)
Translated from Lubiana, un giorno da squatter a Casa Metelkova