Rex – splendour, ruin, awakened memories - the occasional exhibition

May 30th 2008 – September 30th 2008

From May to October 2008, an occasional exhibition entitled “REX – splendour, ruin and revived memory” about the great Italian luxury passenger liner Rex, which met her end during World War II in the shallow sea between Izola and Koper, was on display at the Maritime Museum “Sergej Mašera” Piran. The authors of the exhibition, Nadja Terčon, Bogdana Marinac and Snježana Karinja, wished to present the three-layerdness of the Rex's life story – her splendour, ruin and revived memory, which was also the content and form of the essence of this exhibition, designed by Dušan Podgornik.

The exhibition roused much interest of both domestic and foreign public.

An added value of the exhibition lay especially in the fact that in a single place that particular part of movable maritime heritage, related to the Rex liner, was gathered which is currently held in Slovenia, Italy and Croatia.

For the first time, a documentary film and underwater shots of the current Rex's remains were presented to the public, entitled “In the footsteps of the Rex”, by their authors Nedjan Kastelic and Dušan Podgornik. A documentary film Rex – Regis Nomen Navis omen by Edvard Žitnik was also shown. Furthermore, the visitors were able to attend documentary contributions about the ship, prepared by Dean Jelačin for the TV programme Between the Waves.

On the occasion of the exhibition, a special publication was issued, as well as a commemorative stamp, a commemorative postcard and a commemorative postmark. The exhibition opening and the accompanying event were attended by numerous people.

In September 2012, the exhibition made a guest appearance in the Amfora Hall in Izola.

Rex – splendour, ruin, awakened memories (click here)