Planica
The last dreams of the man with a strange walk is a fairy-tale, written by Nataša Albreht about strong slovenian ski tradition. Fairy-tale was written for Planica candidacy for World Championship in Nordic skiing 2019. The organizer, Ski Association of Slovenia wanted to present the candidacy differently like usual. With this fairy-tale they marked threehoundred years of ski tradition on Slovenian ground and highlight the importance of Planica today.
Author of fairy-tale, Nataša Albreht invited me to participate in this project. On the cover is traditional slovenian first skier wearing new skies, which symbolize the continuation of ski tradition. The excerpt A big heart is about volunteers who helped enormously in cold and snow to prepare ski jump for big championships.
Fairy-tale touches children’s dreams and whishes to become a great skier. Slovenian world champions, Petra Majdič and Franci Petek were main force at the preparation candidacy for World Championship in nordic skiing 2019. I draw new image of Planica from draft plans. A few years later I visited Planica and felt completely overwhelmed when I saw all the infrastructure I was drawing in reality.
First known record about slovenian skier from Bloke goes way back to year 1689. It’s mentioned in The Glory of The Duchy of Carniola from Johann Weikhard von Valvasor.
Thanks to Stanko Bloudek and Janez Režman, they built in year 1934 first big ski jump in Planica. Ski jumping was born. In Planica they jumped the biggest distances in the world. The whole world was astonished,
The boys from the village joined the crowd in year 1934, who came by train to Planica to watch and support the heroes, who weren’t afraid to fly.
Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio)
Bird singer, who’s habitat is in the valley of Planica has its nests points among shrub spieces, such as hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose and high bramble.
Impressions from creating and presentation of candidacy… It was very exhausting to draw day and night because of the time pressure, but it felt very joyfull when the book was out and satisfactory at the presentation. On the group picture from left to right: Nataša Albreht, the author of the book, Franci Petek and Petra Majdič, slovenian champions and main force in this project and Irena Kolar, the illustrator.