New media presentation of the Vinag winery

New media presentation of the Vinag winery
From 30 June 2023
Vinagova klet, Trg svobode 3, Maribor

The Association for Contemporary Art X-OP together with KIBLA2LAB have prepared a new media presentation of Vinag's cellar, which will be on display from 30 June 2023 in the reception area of Vinag 1847, at 3 Trg svobode 3 in Maribor.

This classic wine cellar is a unique gem of cultural heritage, which we have enhanced with a digital image, thus presenting in an original and unique way the content that lies beneath our feet, in the underground of the city centre.

Opposite the famous "Kodžak" stands the imposing Kriehuber Palace, which was the headquarters of Vinag and is the entrance to the wine cellar. The building was built between 1847 and 1858, by the nobleman Alojz Kriehuber from Melje, together with a completely dug-out cellar.

When it was merged with an even older brewery cellar after World War II, it became the largest classical tunnel wine cellar in Central Europe under the city centre, boasting a surface area of 15,000 m² and more than 2 kilometres of underground tunnels. Wooden barrels, concrete tanks, bottles with wine patina have a total capacity of 3 million litres. The most precious feature is certainly the wine archive, which currently houses 85,000 bottles of fine vintage wine.

Upon entering the unique cellar, we are always greeted by 23 monumental stairs, a number that is one of the fundamental symbols of Vinag, as it is associated with the legend of the winemaker's 23rd visit to the vineyard before the grapes turn into wine. The history of the cellar has been turbulent - it has survived many historical periods, changed several owners, experienced better and worse times; but at the height of its power, Vinag was one of the largest wine producers and exporters of the former Republic of Yugoslavia.

The ambient installation with 3D digital imagery illustrates its magnitude and potential for the beginning of a new story of cultural significance.

Opening hours:
- Shop and reception: Mon-Fri: 12:00-18:00, Sat: 11:00-18:00, Sun: 14:00-18:00.
- Guided tours of the cellars: Mon-Fri: 14:00, 16:00, 17:30, Sat: 11:00, 14:00, 16:00, 17:30, Sun: 11:00, 14:00, 17:30

The new-media presentation of Vinag's cellar was prepared by the Association for Contemporary Art X-OP in cooperation with KIBLA2LAB from Maribor. It is part of a pilot project selected through the KID PINA call for proposals within the RUK Network (JP-PR-RUK_1_ 2022), co-funded by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Slovenia (Ministry of Culture).