Pillars and Vaults of National Culture
Exposition in GJK in the period July 2015 - May 2016
The first exhibition unit entitled Pillars and Vaults of the National Culture of Slovakia in the sculptural and medal work of Ján Kulich was installed on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ľudovít Štúr.
Detail
EXPOSITION PERIOD
July 2015 - May 2016
NUMBER OF EXHIBITED WORKS
52 sculptures, 70 medals, 31 reliefs, 48 drawings
The focus was on sculptures made of welded iron - the technique in which Kulich achieved exceptional filigree mastery. The core of the exhibition consisted of sculptures and medals of personalities of our cultural history from the most ancient times to more recent writers, essayists and poets: Thessaloniki Brothers, Matej Bel, Anton Bernolák, Matej Hrebenda, Milo Urban, Milan Rúfus, Martin Kukučín, Andrej Sládkovič, together with his Marína and Detvan... and many others. Drawings sketched in the amphitheater during the folklore festivals in Detva in the years 1967-1980 were also exhibited as well as the never before exposed set of 31 bronze reliefs Wedding Traditions (Svadbenie), created by Ján Kulich in the years 1982 to 1991.
Each exhibition includes short digital miniatures completed with music: a short testimony to the creation of the Instrumentum Excellens – the folk instrument makers‘ competition and Ján Kulich's contribution to the creation and course of this competition, the Wedding Traditions (Svadbenie) miniature - presentation of reliefs in accordance with the music of Svetozár Stračina and The Birth of a Statue – the timelapse photodocument about the origin of the equestrian statue of King Svätopluk with soundtrack music by Vladimír Godár.
We have prepared a fun knowledge game Detective in the Gallery for children and more will be added soon.
"Ján Kulich is one of the most important personalities with whom Slovak sculpture entered the history of our culture. "
"The extensive work of the national artist Ján Kulich has matured into a form that rightfully represents one of the basic pillars of modern Slovak fine art culture. Nonetheless, it is not measured by the number of works nor by the official awards. It is measured by the deeds bearing the seal of the artistic personality and accompanied by love for his own people. "
If the great art consists in feeling the spirit of the nation and its aesthetic concretization then it is unconditionally the work of the National Artist Ján Kulich. "
