"I prefer discovering rather than covering."

Klavdij Sluban

December 31, 2022

Snow is the central theme of his pictures – Klavdij Sluban has created a monochrome series imbued with melancholy.
LFI: What was the idea behind Sneg?
Klavdij Sluban:
Sneg is a selection from other photographic cycles I have made over the past twenty-five years. I photograph mainly "out of season", which for me happens to be the "high season". Sometimes it snows, sometimes not. I photograph in both cases. In the same way several of my cycles take place by the sea, yet this does not mean the focus is on the sea. When it snows, I feel good. When I am by the sea, I feel good. I do not treat these elements as 'subjects' or 'topics' the way a documentary reportage would do. Perceived as a source of inspiration, they are treated as a 'theme'. The much broader notion of the theme allows me to develop my own photographic writing and gives me the freedom to take a step aside, to digress. I prefer discovering rather than covering.

From Slovenia to Japan, from Poland to China: the pictures were taken in numerous countries. Do you still have other locations on your wish list?
Canada. Starting a new long term cycle. With Glenn Gould as a companion of travel but also of spirit. Based on Gould's relationship with the north, it is more his idea of the North that will lead my steps.

Do you have a favourite photo?
Building a cycle is like building a house. Each element must correspond to a precise function. There are the masterpiece photos, those that make the connection, those that create a breathing space...The ones I am most attached to are the non-selected ones. I never delete or throw away any of the photos I have done. The non-selected ones are non-noble material, but necessary and vital in the long process of editing, building. They are the ones I use for the foundations of the house. Invisible yet essential. The stronger the foundations, the more solid the house. My favourite photos are definitely the ones that remain invisible to the viewer.
Katrin Iwanczuk
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Klavdij Sluban
EQUIPMENT: Leica M4P with Elmarit-M 28 f/2.8 Asph

LFI 1.2023+-

A comprehensive portfolio is included in the LFI magazine 1.2023. More

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Klavdij Sluban, photo byTereza.Kozinc 4
© Tereza Kozinc

Born in Paris in 1963, Sluban spent his childhood in Slovenia. He studied Anglo-American Literature and worked as an English teacher in Paris. His love of photography was born when he was a teenager; after a time in the Slovenian countryside, he returned to France and devoted himself to the medium. He was the winner of the Leica Medal of Excellence in 2004. He has had numerous exhibitions, including at the 2022 Les Rencontres d’Arles Festival. More

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"I prefer discovering rather than covering."

Klavdij Sluban