Marjeto and her "Kuolme" have been placed alongside the best world artists.
"In recent years, everything has been happening at lightning speed," says Marjeta Hribar, who has impressed the artistic, fashion, and, not long ago, the sports world with her collection Kuolmi. Her work has now been noticed in the highest artistic circles, and this year she was invited to receive the Leonardo da Vinci award."
Marjeta was bursting with happiness, joy, and pride after receiving the news from Milan. Being included on the list by world art critics is something she can hardly believe. She is aware that persistence and hard work await results, but something like what is happening today, she could not have imagined even 10 years ago when she put down her tools during maternity leave (at that time she was creating wire jewelry) and stood in front of the mirror to think about what her mark on the world would be. She didn't even dare to hope that everything would turn around just a year or two later.
The special charm that the most famous mineral of Zasavje – coal, has, was first noticed by Tone Fornezzi TOF, who, as Marjeta says, is her little angel. He connected Zasavka with the owner of the Miss Slovenia license, Jelka Verk, and from their meeting, the crown of Miss Slovenia was created from the hands of Marjeta Hribar, after which coal was added to the most beautiful pieces of Alpinini's clogs.
"And ever since then, she barely breathes between one project and another. Hribarjeva is the one who added a heart made of coal to Poznič's Rudar Prometej, under her direction, medals for the Handball Association of Slovenia were created, she prepared awards for the Oscars, Grammys, and even sold coal jewelry to Miss New York, and it should not be forgotten that the Zasavka also created the award for the Golden Coal, organized by the portal ZON.si."
"She regularly keeps in touch with Americans and is already negotiating future projects. She could go across the pond, she says. 'But home is here, everything else is a playground.' The artistic storyteller beautifully summarizes her feelings about Zasavje, her family home, and leaving for abroad."
"I am not just a designer, I am a storyteller..."
"Explain Marjeta, who prepares each piece with great thought, places it in space and time, and adds a story to it."
"The first piece of jewelry I made from coal was earrings. Then a bracelet. 'When I put on the first piece of jewelry made from coal, I felt the energy. Coal has incredible power, it has a story that has been told for millions of years. Although it looks robust, it is light and warm.'"
"More than 10,000 pieces have already been created in a small workshop that Marjeta set up at home. We know that there are no more excavations in Zasavje, but what if the coal runs out?"
"Most of the coal recently comes from the Zasavci region. 'A lot is being renovated and rearranged, and no one wants to throw coal away. Then they call me, I come and take it away.' By the way, not far from home, a charming girl from Zagorje knows very well where the smaller coal seams are almost on the surface, and as a true miner's girl, she heads out to the field and collects coal for further creation."
"Almost all the coal is from Zasavje, and a series of the last coal extracted from the Zagorje mine is also on the horizon. 'This will take on a very special form and will be intended only for the chosen ones,' assures the creator."
Marjeta Hribar and the heart from coal for Prometheus.
"However, for the production of jewelry, decorative pieces, or other products, Marjeta needs kuolm in various states. Sometimes it is drier, other times it is fresher. It completely depends on what will be created in the kuolm workshop. Kuolmi operate on two levels. One is unique pieces specially prepared for a known client, the other is pieces intended for tourism, sales in stores and boutiques. Each piece is unique, emphasizes Marjeta, as the composition of each coal is slightly different and comes from a different period in the history of life on Earth. And what will happen to Kuolmi in 10 years? "I have no idea," our interlocutor replies with a cheerful smile, as she will let life take her where it will. It has been like that so far, and it has gone quite well, she adds."
Read more: zon.si