Autonomy of Ice

Autonomy of Ledana The Ledana Creative Center is a project of converting Zagrebačka ledana, an object of valuable industrial heritage, into a center of creative culture.

The founding of Zagrebačka ledana and the construction of the complex in today's Bauerova Street was initiated by the entrepreneur Josip Siebenschein in 1904, and according to available data, construction began in 1905. It was one of the first modern industrial complexes in Zagreb, but also in Europe. Technically and technologically, it was a time of modernization of production in all branches, and the production of an increasing number of new products, both in other industries and in food production. The chain from production to consumption was getting longer, the supply was getting richer, the market was getting bigger, especially in cities where the increase in population was felt. Thus, for example, the foodstuffs produced had to be brought to market quickly, and the shelf life had to be extended and preserved from spoilage. That is why icebergs were established all over Europe, which marked the beginning of further expansion and improvement of transport, and the process of storing food from production to consumers. Zagreb Ice Cream was certainly one of the most modern in Europe at the time. At that time, the most expensive and most modern machines were procured. The company Zagrebačka ledana operated in this complex from 1904 to 1944, and later the social enterprise Slavija operated in the old Ledana, until its privatization in the early 1990s.

The complex is used for numerous exhibitions, meetings of creatives from all over Europe, literary and cultural meetings, and gatherings of the local community. In November 2015, a young photographer Zoran Cvrk set up his first photo gallery and exhibition in Ledana, on Museum Night we opened a complex for sightseeing outside the official program, and an exhibition on Zagreb's industrial heritage "Paromlin" was set up. The permanent exhibition of the Ledana – Slavija Collection, a small museum of preserved sculptures, paintings, archives and objects of the Slavijapromet design studio, is also open to visitors. The museum currently has about five hundred exhibits. We managed to save and save literally from the trash not only numerous sculptures made by Slavija's designers, but also their sketches, drawings, workbooks, various items from the workshop, all the way to numerous templates for making designer decorations, notebooks with sketches and drawings of sculptures and designs. some of Slavija's shop windows and shops. A large collection of Slavija's trade inscriptions has also been preserved, as well as a large collection of designer magazines published in Europe from the 1970s to the 1980s. According to its content, this is a unique museum. The cataloging of all exhibits is still ongoing, and the Ledana – Slavija Museum itself is divided into several parts – collections: Collection of Sculptures; The neoprint collection; Svaštaru; Collection of trade inscriptions; Template collection; A studio collection (which also contains the furniture and tools of a former design studio); and the Collection of Designer Magazines.

The creative center is intended for the public. To the citizens. Creatives. To all who find some corner of their creativity in Ledana. We often say that our main goal is to turn Ledana into a small artistic, creative city in the middle of the city. That is, perhaps, the best definition of what the Creative Center is today. It is a new and different autonomous space of culture in Zagreb. A different space of cultural autonomy in a city where we sometimes have the feeling that it is cultural autonomy that is increasingly suffocating us. The creative center is, of course, for neighbors. To young artists. To those to whom many other doors and places are closed. We want to open the iceberg. Turn into one space of open culture.

At the moment, Ledana is "in full operation" from April to October. It is then possible to hold programs in full capacity in at least three large halls that are now usable. However, as we do not have electricity, the use in the evening is limited, although we manage in different ways. Of the two thousand square meters, some eight hundred square meters are currently in use. The rest is unfortunately not in use at the moment, although we are planning some performances and performances in the spring in those spaces that are currently out of order. There are also two small studios, which are currently used by artists for their work, of course completely free of charge. The permanent exhibition of the Museum of Ledana – Slavija can be seen with prior notice, and most of the exhibition was exhibited for the European Heritage Days, in which the official part of the program was Ledana, as well as our museum collections.