April 2000
X. Delegates Convention of the Association of Mouth and Footpainting Artists Worldwide
Exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art 
Slovenian Mouth PainterStojan Zafred from Divača

 Marlyse Tovae, President of the VDMFK (AMFPA) since 1985:
“In 1956 a worldwide artists’ organisation was founded in the Principality of Liechtenstein to which currently more than 400 mouth and footpainting artists belong all over the world - the Association of Mouth and Footpainting Artists Worldwide.
Only those who are themselves physically handicapped can appreciate how much it means to be largely independent of public welfare and state assistance: for most of us it means everything: our life and personal freedom...
Today the “Association” is known all over the world. Numerous exhibitions, awards, public honours and worldwide coverage in all media have contributed to this.”
Message from Bob Carr MP, the Premier of New South Wales and Minister for the Arts:
“On behalf of the people of New South Wales, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Sydney to the International Exhibition 2000 of Mouth & Foot Painting Artists. This exhibition celebrates the artistic mastery displayed by the members of the association. It provides MFPA artists with an opportunity to display their work and demonstrate their extraordinary skills. More importantly, the exhibition reminds us that people with disabilities are not necessary limited in their talents. Mouth & Foot Painting Artist is a truly unique organisation. Many Australians would know them only from their Christmas cards and other marketed products.” 

Slovenian Mouth Painter
Stojan Zafred from Divača
/Grafike, Dejan Mehmedovič/ - 
Stojan Zafred’s artwork is unique. Because he has been a tetraplegic since his youth, Zafred’s physical activity is extremely limited and his artwork comes into existence in a rather unusual way, namely, the author creates with his mouth, or rather his head. I dare say that we are,  when in contact with Zafred’s paintings, probably subconsci-ously and unwillingly, unduly concerned with the method of their creation...

Drawing or painting with his mouth, meaning that the lines are drawn and all expressions made with movement of the head, makes it different from the usual. Any line or shade of colour is subjected to the lever length of the pencil the artist is using, meaning: the longer the lever, the smaller, more accurate is the angle of the motion of the centre...

And it is likely that art is the author’s’s way to freedom which was fought for with tremendous power of will, enthusiasm and determination...

The quality of  Zafred’s art work does not indicate its method and can be rather highly classified...

Stojan Zafred’s artwork stands in space as a perfected work of art, since through it evidently streams an idea of optimism, an idea of positivity, an idea of “good”, which is in art, of whatever form or period, the most important and primary purpose.

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