IN MEMORIAM, 91-92
DUŠAN PODGORNIK IN MEMORIAM
Dušana sem imel priliko spoznati pred šestnajstimi leti. Kot sveže pečenega urednika znanstvene revije Annales me je glavni urednik Darko Darovec peljal v Bonine, da bi spoznal oblikovalca revije, Dušana Podgor-nika. Namesto standardnega gostoljubja so naju pričakale petarde oziroma pasje bombice, ki sta jih na naju metala s sinkom. Začetno klavrno vzdušje, ki sem ga doživel ob poku petard pod mojimi nogami, je kaj hitro skopnelo, ko mi je močno stisnil roko, si me ogledal s svojimi prodornimi sinjemodrimi očmi in pokazal njemu lastni prijateljski, široki nasmeh. Se bolj pa potem, ko me je prepričal z velemojstrskim izborom in oblikovanjem naslovnice in ovitkov revije. Takšen je pač bil Dušan! Iskalec originalnosti, vztrajni borec proti stereoti-pom.
Vsaka njegova naslovnica je bila odlična in z leti se je ta odličnost stopnjevala v popolnost. Ko sva izbirala naslovnico, je hotel vedno vedeti, kakšni članki so zbrani za revijo, da se je lahko odločil. Vedno je hotel, da ima slika dovolj jasno sporočilo. Tako sva se šestnajst let nekajkrat letno dobivala, da je iz prinesenega gradiva oblikoval naslovnice za revije, zbornike in knjige. Dušan je dal zunanjo podobo, obraz vsem revijam, knji-
gam, zbornikom in publikacijam, ki so nastale na Znanstveno Raziskovalnem središču Republike Slovenije v Kopru. Bil je arbiter elegance in mojster kompozicije.
Obiski v Boninih, kasneje v novi in seveda nenavadni hiši (spet iskanje originalnosti!) ter brez petard, so bili zame daleč najlepša plat urednikovanja. Dolgi pogovori o potovanjih na Orient, ki ga je vedno privlačil, o fotografijah, razstavah in v zadnjih letih skoraj vedno o potapljanju. Spominjam se, kako sem ga večkrat spodbujal, da je svet na morsko dno pritrjenih živali kot nalašč zanj, veščega iskanja posebnosti v svetu makro fotografije. Tam da bo našel vso izjemnost živobarvnih oblik in v pravilno geometrijsko simetrijo ujetih spregledanih vzorcev, ki so se razvili v dolgem časovnem obdobju evolucije. Ko si je nabavil podvodno fotografsko opremo in pričel s fotografiranjem, se je to uresničilo.
Zal nikoli nisem imel prilike, da bi se skupaj potapljala. Krivda je izključno na moji strani, saj sem se, namesto da bi si vzel dan dopusta in sprejel Dušanova vabila na potop, zapletal s polpomembnimi ali nepomembnimi zadevami. Danes vem, da so me take neumnosti okradle druženj s takim prijateljem, kot je Dušan, druženj, ki so me vedno bogatila. Njegovi standardi v živ-
IN MEMORIAM, 91-92
Ijenju so bili drugačni od tistih večine ljudi, njegov tempo je bil zdaj zelo počasen, že naslednji hip pa prehiter, da bi mu lahko zbrano sledili.
Preveč ljudi na tem svetu misli, da ima kaj povedati ali pokazati, pa ne povedo ali pokažejo nič kaj pretresljivega. Le malo ljudi pa je takih, kot je bil Dušan. Zavoljo svojih bogatih izkušenj in originalnega pogleda na življenje je imel kaj povedati in pokazati, pa tega na žalost ne bomo nikoli več slišali ali videli. Dušan, v čast in veliko veselje mi je bilo, da sem imel priliko poznati Te in se učiti od Tebe.
Mojster, počivaj v miru!
DUŠAN PODGORNIK IN MEMORIAM
I first met Dušan 16 years ago. I had just started editing the scientific journal Annales, when the chief editor Darko Darovec took me to Bonini to meet the graphic designer, Dušan Podgornik. Instead of the traditional hospitality, we were received with firecrackers, thrown at us by Dušan and his little son. This terrible first impression with the firecrackers under my feet quickly disappeared when he firmly shook my hand, took a look at me with his piercing blue eyes and showed his typical friendly broad smile. And even more so when he convinced me with his superb selection and design of the cover and front page of the journal. This is simply who he was. The seeker of originality, and a persistent fighter against stereotypes.
Every cover he designed was excellent and over the years they became perfect. When choosing the front page, he always wanted to know about the selected articles so that he could make exactly the right choice. He always wanted the photo to have a clear message. For the past 16 years we met a few times yearly so he could go through the material I brought and design the covers of journals, publications and books. Dušan gave the face
to every journal, book, yearbook and publication of the Koper Science and Research Centre of the Republic of Slovenia. He was an arbiter of elegance and a master of composition.
My later visits to Bonini, to the new and unusual house (again search for originality!) and without firecrackers were by far the most pleasant part of the editing job. Long talks about travels to the Orient, which always attracted him, conversations about photography, exhibitions and in the last years almost every time about diving. I remember telling him how the world of animals attached to the sea bottom was made for him, a seeker of peculiarity in the macro photography. How he would find vibrantly coloured shapes and overlooked patterns extraordinary, trapped in the geometrical symmetry and developed in the long period of evolution. When he got the underwater photography equipment and started taking photos, it came true.
Unfortunately I never got a chance to dive with him. It was entirely my fault for getting wrapped in the semi-important and unimportant things instead of taking a day off and accepting Dušan's invitations to go diving. Today I know that such stupidities robbed me of fulfilling quality time with a friend like Dušan. His standards in life were different from most people's , his pace slow at times, then again too fast to follow.
Too many people in this world think that they have something to say and show while they don't say or show anything remarkable. Only a few of them are like Dušan. Because of his vast experience and unique view of life he had things to say and show, but unfortunately we will never be able to hear or see them again. Dušan, it's been a great honour and pleasure to know you and to learn from you.
Rest in peace, master!
Lovrenc Lipej