Ljubljana - An exhibition of works by 23 German visual artists will open at the Gallery of the Slovenian Association of Fine Arts Societies (ZDSLU) on Friday, bringing a wide range of paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, photos and conceptual art to Ljubljana until 27 August.

The return display of members of the BBK association of fine artists from Nuremberg comes after Slovenian ZDSLU artists had their works exhibited in Nuremberg last year.

The opening of the Ljubljana exhibition will feature a refugees-themed performance by German artist Irmgard Beirle.

As part of her Sunrise project, Beirle brought together 30 refugees who wrapped their heads in orange bandages at the Rothenberg Fortress in Germany, and had to free themselves of the bandages on their own, "albeit in a joint action".

"Bandages are a sign of healing wounds, including mental ones. The colour orange means light, energy and the beginning of a new life," the artist was quoted as saying in the catalogue accompanying the exhibition.

"The result of this performance was a video and photographs. In times of war, when countless people are fleeing, action is a sign of solidarity," she added.

A week before the exhibition closes, six of the participating artists will join forces with Slovenian peers for a series of workshops at ZDSLU premises.

Ulrike Manestar and Bernd Telle will join forces with Slovenian photographer Nataša Segulin for an experimental portrait photography workshop.

The sculpture workshop will feature Monika Ritter and Paola Korošec, and the drawing workshop Christian Haberland and Barbara Kastelic.

Prints will be made by Helge Gerd Wütscher and Slovenian conceptual artist Brane Širc, with a sound performance bringing together Alexander Schräpler and painter and musician Miha Erič.

In the autumn, a group of Slovenian artists will travel to Nuremberg to work there for a week.

The ZDSLU has organised annual exhibitions of its members abroad over the past decade, with last year's supported by the Slovenian Cultural and Information Centre SKICA from Berlin.

With some 250 members, BBK Nuremberg is one of the nine regional BBK associations and a member of the federal BBK, which has 10,000 members.