The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic

are pleased to invite you to

the exhibition “Slovak Naive Art from Serbia”

at the Embassy of Slovak Republic, 3523 International Court, Washington, DC 20008

from March 25 – April 19, 2010.

Opening reception on March 25^th 2010 from 7 to 9 pm

KOVACICA, a small town in Southern Banat, Serbia, was established by ethnic Slovaks from the North of the Austro-Hungarian Kingdom. It has become world-famous through the work of its celebrated self-taught artists. The folkloric spirit of their expression is the distinguishing feature of their naive art, by which they celebrate and honor the joyful rituals of the otherwise hard lives of farmers, their traditions and customs. Their sincere and authentic artistic articulation, conditioned by the rural environment, reflects the strength and imagination of these primarily Slovak village farmers and craftsmen.

The Kovacica painters began creating their art in 1930s. Step by step, the group has expanded, with the first joint exhibition of twelve village painters organized in 1952. Over subsequent decades, several have participated in a number of prestigious international exhibitions, and their paintings are hung in many galleries and art collections all over the world. Among the most renowned of the Kovacica artists are the late Martin Jonas and Zuzana Chalupova. Currently, there are twenty-five active artists, from several generations, working in Kovacica. The oldest among them are Katarina Durisova and Jan Strakusek.

The creativity of its people has secured for Kovacica a prominent niche in the world's cultural heritage.

http://www.youtube.com/otvorenistudio#p/a/u/2/tzCCojUFw3Y