The Issue

Maribor, Slovenia’s second-largest city, was the largest industrial center of the former Yugoslavia. The region saw various environmental impacts such as air pollution, groundwater pollution, illegal dumps of industrial waste, and a loss of biodiversity. The famous Maribor Island, the largest river island in Slovenia, is home to many bird species that are increasingly threatened by these environmental issues. In recent years the City of Maribor has been striving to transition to carbon neutrality to meet European guidelines for achieving climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest.

Fedja Šičarov, Artist

Fedja Šičarov is a trained painter, street artist, and a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana. He recently collaborated with students of the Secondary School for Design Maribor (SŠOM) to create his latest mural: “Birds of the Island of Maribor”.Fedja drew inspiration from Maribor Island which is home to four bird species depicted in four distinct artistic styles on the mural. This juxtaposition of styles reflects various historical periods in art and design and is designed to highlight the strong human impact on the environment.

The Mural: "Birds from the Island" is a vibrant celebration of nature and a call to action for environmental sustainability. Created over April and May, 2024, the mural was preceded by a series of workshops on environmental sustainability and street art, held over March 6-20. These workshops empowered students to understand local environmental concerns and engage deeply with these issues. The mural incorporates elements from Art Nouveau, constructivism, pop art, and post-Internet art, symbolizing the evolution of industrialization, consumer culture, and digital pollution. The mural was officially launched on May 9, the occasion of Europe Day, and it adorns the wall of the Secondary School for Design Maribor (SŠOM) in Youth Park 8.

Nadja Jager Popović - Principal of Secondary School for Design Maribor

"I am immensely proud of the ecological mural that now graces our school wall. It is more than just a beautiful piece of art; it carries a powerful message about environmental responsibility. Our students have shown remarkable insight into ecological issues, and this mural stands as a testament to their creativity and commitment to sustainability."

Anja Vizjak - Student at SŠOM and workshop participant

“It was my first time doing something like this, and I found the workshop to be very informative. It taught us a lot about our local environmental concerns and how they can be represented through street art. The final mural exceeded my expectations, telling an important story and representing our art school beautifully. I'm glad our school participated in this international project.”