Riko Debenjak’s legacy was donated to his home town Kanal by the artist’s son, Dr. Božidar Debenjak. The Municipality of Kanal ob Soči has left this valuable documentation in storage to the Regional Museum in Nova Gorica, which has prepared a selection of documents in collaboration with the Prosvetno društvo Soča Kanal, who owns a permanent collection of Riko Debenjaks' works. The documents are now on display in the Memorial Room of the newly renovated Fiščeva’s House at Kanal’s Kontrada. The legacy complements importantly the permanent collection of Riko Debenjak’s art works in his Gallery in Kanal. 

The oldest document in the legacy, which reflects the situation of the Debenjak family, was issued by the Municipality of Kanal ob Soči on 25th August, 1923. Preserved also is Debenjak’s diary that contains his sketches, thoughts and ideas for future work. In addition to that, a rich documentation regarding his tenure at the Academy, supplemented by the records on graphics, lesson plans, descriptions on individual graphic sheets printing processes and reflections about art, is put on display.

Debenjak exhibited at numerous domestic and international exhibitions and carefully kept all the invitations, catalogues and posters. The oldest preserved invitation derives from 1937 (an invitation to the first Riko Debenjak’s painting exhibition in the Association Istra – Trst – Gorica in Belgrade). Another extremely important part of his legacy encompasses the correspondence regarding the artistic creation and preparations for the domestic and foreign exhibitions. The magnificent legacy of Debenjak is rounded up beautifully by numerous photographs, some issues of foreign artistic magazines and a rich collection of articles on exhibition responses from local and foreign newspapers, which have all been preserved up to now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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