This autumn marked 100 years since the birth of sculptor and ceramic artist Miloš Balgavý Sr. He was one of the most prominent figures in both applied and studio ceramics in Slovakia during the second half of the 20th century, as well as a significant personality in Trnava’s artistic community.
Whether in his design work, intimate-scale pieces, or monumental projects, nature and its organic forms always remained at the centre of his artistic interest, providing a constant source of inspiration. Fruits of Clay does not seek to be a retrospective of the artist’s oeuvre, nor a comprehensive presentation of his work. Rather, it offers a poetic reflection on the phenomena from which Balgavý drew inspiration—phenomena that, when placed in direct dialogue with their artistic interpretations, may reveal themselves even to the less attentive observer.
A selection of Miloš Balgavý’s works from the collection of the Ján Koniarek Gallery will be situated within the meadow landscape of the Koppel Villa garden. The exhibition’s guest artist, Katalin Madarász Decsi, will further accentuate Balgavý’s engagement with natural materials and forms—clay, colour, and organic structures—through her paintings. Integrated into the exhibition architecture, her works will strengthen the connection between Balgavý’s artistic practice and the earth from which it emerged.
