Deň plný snov (A Day Full of Dreams), Vznešená (The Noble), Tajomstvá kráľovskej cesty (Secrets of the Royal Way), Šťastie prinášam do vášho domu (I Bring Happiness to Your Home), Snívanie vo vlnách (Dreaming on Waves), Čakanie na dúhu (Waiting for a Rainbow), Na krídlach snov (On the Wings of Dreams) are some of the titles of her tapestries. They are imbued with poetry and in fact they are artistic verses, woven for those who can read them from the inside, but also for those who come from without. Yes, the art of Božena Augustínová is open and accessible to all. She makes no distinction, but opens her arms to anyone willing to tune in to the wavelengths of their own dreams. She hands out helping yarn, but leaves it up to them whether they will entwine it in their ideas and infinite imagination. I was lucky to know Božka in person. Always cheerful, hospitable and empathic. Like her paintings, she resembled spring in full bloom. She was interested in others and gladly responded to those who were interested in her world. I frequently asked her about the content and origin of her works. “How are they created? Like dreams,” she replied and added with a smile, “You just need to capture them at the right moment. It’s not so simple sometimes... That’s why I prefer working at night, when the apartment is quiet and I can concentrate on them.”
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to prepare several exhibitions for Božka - mostly along with her sons Andrej and Martin, as a continuation of their family story. That was also why we often entitled them as we did. They are never-ending stories which, even after her unexpected passing, remain among us as pleasant thoughts, like a pleasant trembling that we strive to preserve for as long as possible. Art has many colors and passions. Božena Augustínová’s tapestries, which are exhibited as an accompanying exhibition of the 6th year of the Textile Art of Today at the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, are also about these emotions. Although her work is also comprised of paintings, graphic work and illustrations, her woven dreams are the most suitable for this international event initiated by her sons.
BOŽENA AUGUSTÍNOVÁ-ROCHOVANSKÁ (1939 - 2005) was a versatile artist; however, she is best known as the creator of non-woven Artprotis and Arttex tapestry. One of the founding members of the Arttex Club of Textile Artists (SK), her abundant exhibition activities abroad were instrumental in disseminating the uniqueness of this technique around the world. Her iconic 40-year program included monumental, non-woven Artprotis and Arttex tapestries - the Czechoslovak and Slovak registered trademark techniques of needling wool fleece which allows the artist to paint with a textile fiber. She can be considered the forerunner of the hitherto unsuspected possibilities of these techniques in the European context. This is also why the GRAND PRIX OF BOŽENA AUGUSTÍNOVÁ is awarded at the Textile Art of Today festival as a tribute to her artistic legacy in the field of textile creation.
