Thus, what encourages us to examine the past through a different lens and see it in a new light is history.
The concept of the Past → Present → Past project is based on the phenomenon of returning to the past, which is an important artistic strategy for the exhibited authors. The group exhibition presents selected artworks by Slovak artists of younger generation whose works use motifs such as reference to the past (common and private), commenting on historical events or reviving the local memory. History is important for them as a direct prerequisite of a new artwork (in terms of documenting) or, on the contrary, serves as a source of inspiration that is subjected to further transformation and deconstruction through various interventions and visual or ideological mash-ups. Past as direct inspiration for the creation of contemporary artworks is a common and established practice. The exhibition concept depicts various ways of working with the past, focusing on the motif of returning back to different periods, while respecting and supporting the individual themes of the exhibited artworks. As such, the Past → Present → Past curatorial project differentiates several approaches to the past. The exhibited authors either draw inspiration from their personal and intimate experiences and memories (Peter Barényi, Adam Novota, Adam Šakový), appropriate, reinterpret and subsequently deconstruct the past (Peter Cibák, Štefan Papčo, Katarína Poliačiková, Boris Sirka), depicting bitter historical events through different perspectives (Peter Cibák, Jaroslav Kyša, Štefan Papčo), create fictional history through manipulation or mystification to point out certain social and national complexes (Jarmila Mitríková & Dávid Demjanovič, András Cséfalvay), or directly refer to the past through forms and techniques used (Štefan Papčo, Adam Šakový, Jarmila Mitríková & Dávid Demjanovič). In addition, the exhibited selection suggests the current direction and tendencies of the generation of contemporary Slovak artists born around the eighties of the 20th century.

Translation: Martina Petáková