Slovenské impresie II. (Slovak Impressions II) is a unique exhibition project that brings together 2 prominent Slovak artists - Katarína Vavrová and Jacqueline Rudavsky. Both artists were interested in and inspired by Slovak folk costumes, whose details, fragments and parts they inventively integrate into their work. Thus, they unlock and bring to life the uniqueness and originality of folk costumes, connecting the past with the present. Katarína Vavrová presents a set of paintings with a distinct folk theme. Her intense touch and interest in folk art is not accidental; it dates back to 2018 when she created paintings entitled Slovenské impresie (Slovak Impressions) and collaborated with Ľubomír Feldek on illustrations for the book Slovenské piesne (Slovak Songs). She continues to transfer inspirational motifs from costumes to her magical figurative paintings whose original iconography remains unchanged. Only her typical noble, gentle, beautiful, mystical female, children's faces, and characters are shrouded, made special by details and motifs from folk costumes (especially traditional folk bonnets). Jacqueline Rudavsky’s jewelry represents an inventive combination of several non-traditional materials, such as metal, stone, plastic, imitation leather and genuine leather, silver wire, and various recycled materials. In her most recent collection, she expands the expressive potential of jewelry by sensitively applying to them old parts, fragments and details of traditional folk costumes that are no longer usable, in order to create an interesting dialogue of historical and modern references. She even takes her ideas a step further, placing her modern jewelry in the beautiful and timeless photographs of Karol Plicka, the artist who inventively revealed the various faces of Slovakia. Rudavsky’s husband Ondrej sensitively combines the jewelry and photographs through his photo collage. This remarkable exhibition, inspired by traditional folk clothing, where the historical context is combined with the current view, will be visually enriched by the original folk costumes and bonnets from the private collection of Ing., PhD. Stanislav Talapka.
Katarína VAVROVÁ was born in Bratislava. From 1984 to 1990 she studied book illustration at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava under prof. Albín Brunovský and Karol Ondreička. In 1989, she participated in an internship at Academia delle Belle Arti in Perugia. Since 1993, she has held more than 50 solo exhibitions and participated in many joint art exhibitions at home and abroad. She has received several prestigious international and domestic awards for her poetic and imaginative works, which can be found in many collections in Slovakia and around the world. She works in painting, printmaking, drawing, and illustration. Katarína lives in Limbach.
Jacqueline RUDAVSKY, a native of Bratislava, studied sculpture under prof. Gavula and prof. Koštál at the School of Applied Arts in Bratislava from 1982 to 86. In the 1990s she moved to Vancouver where she attended a one-year goldsmith's school, before moving to New York. She and her husband Ondrej Rudavský and daughter have been living in Los Angeles since 2004. In 2010, the family returned to Slovakia where they established their own gallery and museum - Rudavsky “Magic Garden.” In 2023, she published a book about jewelry entitled “Len silné ženy nosia veľké šperky” (Only Strong Women Wear Big Jewelry). Jacqueline lives in Bratislava.
Karol PLICKA (1894 - 1987) was an outstanding Czech-Slovak ethnographer, folklorist, director, and especially photographer who authentically captured the beauty, lyricism, and poetics of Slovakia and its inhabitants. His inner connection with the Slovak people, nature, and culture can be felt in each of his works.
Ondrej RUDAVSKÝ was born in Bratislava and emigrated to the US in 1986. In 2010, he returned to Slovakia. He works in film, animation, graphics, photography, video installation, digital art, jewelry, sculpture, music and illustration. He lives in Bratislava.
Ing. PhD. Stanislav TALAPKA, a native of Martin, is a long-time folk enthusiast and collector of traditional Slovak folk clothing from various regions. He lives in Martin.
