Information
Artists
Žofia Dubová, Jozef Pilát, Katarína Bajkayová, Michal Machciník
Curator
Adrián Kobetič
Opening cancelled
March 12, 2020 @ 6PM
Duration
March 13 – September 3, 2020
Venue
Youth Gallery
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Funding
With financial support of the Slovak Arts Council public funds. The Council is the leading partner of the project.
Natural themes have always played an important role in the history of art. They have been a part of it since its very early days and become one of the key inspirations throughout its development. But what is nature’s position in contemporary art? Have its artistic resources been depleted and should it be moved to the art history section?
The exhibition titled 4 Ways of Nature is trying to answer this very question by presenting artworks by four young artists who focus on natural themes. Each of the artists approaches nature in a different way, but none of them consider it just their inspiration. Even though their ways are different, they cross paths when it comes to entering nature both physically and mentally. The group exhibition by two male and two female artists maps their various approaches, but it does not limit their techniques or medium of choice. It moves from hanging pictures to installations, from acrylic on canvas to ceramics or wood. Despite their diversity, they also share other elements besides their main theme. They incorporate various concepts of space, the way its filled and emptied, they look into the distance and darkness and study human physiology when it comes into contact with nature. They all write their own stories which are later materialised inside the “artificial” gallery space.
Žofia Dubová’s (*1991) paintings present mountain views that appear and disappear in front of the viewer. Her both intimate and majestic landscape invites us into the stillness of nature. The canvases depict mountains that seem to be changing constantly as time passes by and yet appear to be frozen in it at the same time, continually attracting our attention.
Jozef Pilát’s (*1992) large-scale installation talks about the extraordinary relationship of the artist and the woods. In his story, the forest disappears and returns in the form of wood boards, almost completely ridden of everything natural. His work talks about the death of nature and its return in the form of art.
Katarína Bajkayová (*1994) uses her drawings and sculptures to illustrate the way she is connected to nature. She dives deep into a cave and her speleological expedition allows her to come across various turning points that affect her body and mind. She uses them to create her artistic documentations that take the viewer into situations which are often a matter of life and death.
Michal Machciník (*1989) incorporates the creative potential of natural elements. He goes into the woods to find objects and places that have extraordinary properties. He uses various techniques to fill them and put them together which stresses the creative characteristics of nature. His unique installation of ready-made objects naturalises even the exhibition space itself.