"A healthy mind in a healthy body" was the appeal 151 years ago to found the gymnastics society Southern Sokol in 1863 and the spirit of the founders is still alive today in the Gymnastics Club Narodni dom. The most important person of Slovene physical culture was Viktor Murnik, PhD (1874−1964). Within the society he established exercise as its paramount activity and also developed it almost to perfection. In 1896 he founded the training assembly (the first Slovene professional body in the area of physical culture) and the female training assembly (since then the female training is continuous). In 1905 he founded Slovene Sokol Association, which in 1907 became a member of the European Federation of Gymnastics. For the world championship in Ljubljana, a stadium with capacity for over 33 thousand spectators was built. The association member Peter Šumi became the first all-around gymnastics world champion and repeated his feat in four years. In Amsterdam Olympic Games of 1928, a team of gymnasts under Murnik's leadership took third place. Murnik's successor Boris Gregorka and Jelica Vazzaz worked passionately, so the society again organized the world championship in 1970, where two-time Olympic winner Miroslav Cerar concluded his career. After a long hiatus the international results of Mitja Petkovšek and other gymnasts followed. The only unfulfilled dream of the society has been its very own premises, but the gymnasts have confidence in this success as well.
It is meaningful to hold an exhibition in National Gallery of Slovenia, since the Gymnastics society Sokol / Narodni dom and the gallery spent seven decades in coexistence under Narodni dom's roof.
Author of the exhibition
Ivan Čuk
Designers of the exhibition
Ajda Vogelnik, Katja Florjanc
The exhibition was prepared by Gymnastics Club Narodni dom in association with National Gallery of Slovenia, National Museum of Slovenia, The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, Radio-Television of Slovenia, Faculty of Sport, Olympic Committee of Slovenia / Association of Sports Federation, ELAN Inventa and Sports museum.
14 June−8 September 2013
National Gallery of Slovenia
Prešernova 24
1000 Ljubljana