Born out of the human need for shelter and safety, the desire to worship, and the gradual acquisition of new resources and skills, architecture combines art and science. Skillfully combining scientific knowledge, functionality, and aesthetics, architecture creates buildings that are not only durable and safe, but also meaningful, comfortable, and beautiful.
Cathedrals, modern buildings, and homes are the embodiment of an architect’s vision, based on human needs and the function of buildings. Architecture is created for people, and people bring it to life. It not only forms the backdrop to our everyday lives, but is also our home, with its diverse shapes, sizes, colours, and smells. When a living being enters an empty building and their footsteps and voices echo within, the entire space suddenly comes to life. Thanks to our presence, architecture becomes a living organism, a canvas on which a multitude of colourful human stories are told.
The exhibition tells the story of architecture in a way that anyone can understand if they take the time to explore it. Rather than overwhelming visitors with complex architectural theories and concepts, it aims to guide them through the exhibition space and historic gallery building in a playful way, encouraging them to perceive, discover, and reflect on the world around them.
The exhibition focuses on the details that determine how we perceive architecture. Through a variety of stories and situations, it draws attention to the Renaissance building’s architectural features. Visitors can experience walking along the roofline and a mysterious, surprising play of light and shadow, as well as an unusual, playful living space with modified everyday objects offering new stories. They can also look forward to experiencing a play of lines and mirrors that creates the illusion of a double reality; sitting and contemplating models of iconic public spaces in Banská Bystrica; recording their free associations with a brick on the wall; assembling playful paper models of churches and taking part in various other activities and games related to the exhibited works.
The story of architecture is told through artworks from the Central Slovak Gallery’s extensive collection, which contains almost 14,000 items. The works on display are primarily by prominent Slovak and Czech artists, with some pieces by a Finnish artist. His exhibited works form part of a unique and rich collection of foreign graphic art, which the Central Slovak Gallery is proud to be the only Slovak institution to possess. Stano Masár, who participated in conceiving the exhibition and contributed his own works, and Daniela Krajčová, who created educational animations about architecture based on Central Slovak Gallery’s artworks on this theme, were invited to participate in the exhibition. The exhibition also features a book corner offering a wide selection of inspiring literature on architecture, sculpture, art, and art in public spaces, suitable for both children and adults.
The diverse installations on display draw viewers into the creative and intellectual process, in which interaction, experiencing the intensity of the moment, and direct contact play an important role. The exhibition provides an authentic experience, encouraging personal interaction with the artworks and utilising them as educational tools.
The exhibition encourages us to be more mindful of our surroundings, whether indoors, outdoors, or in public city spaces. It can reawaken old interest in architecture and spark new ones, as well as lead us to discover its infinite poetry. It brings new perspectives on architecture, not only through statics, canon, and proportions, but also through the visual arts, playfully and through the magic of discovery, through details and large wholes. It stimulates our imagination and fantasy, sharpens our concentration, and develops our visual thinking.
Educational-presentational exhibition How to See Art… 6 / ARCHITECTURE is the latest in a series of educational exhibitions organised by the Department of Education and Cultural Programmes at the Central Slovak Gallery. Previous exhibitions in the series have received the White Cube Award for innovation in gallery education from the Slovak Galleries Council.
Martina Martincová, Zuzana Medzihorská
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Authors represented: Roland Berger, Marko Blažo, Miroslav Cipár, Orest Dubay, Jozef Fedora, Mikuláš Galanda, Edmund Gwerk, František Gyurkovits, Viktor Hermély, Alojz Klimo, Vladimír Kompánek, Daniela Krajčová, Martin Martinček, Stano Masár, Antero Olin, Rudolf Sikora, Ivan Štubňa, Rudolf Uher, Blanka Votavová, Ernest Zmeták
Authors of exhibited reproductions of works: Štefan Belohradský, Ján Mančuška, Ivana Sláviková
Concept of the exhibition: Martina Martincová, Zuzana Medzihorská
& Stano Masár
Curators: Martina Martincová, Zuzana Medzihorská
Professional cooperation: Renáta Pondelíková
Production of animations on architecture: Daniela Krajčová
Audio commentary in animations read by: Krištof Karovič
Furniture: Janka Packová
Graphic design: Patrik Ševčík
Publicity and PR: Michael Luzsicza
Production: Ivan Žirka
Technical realisation: Norbert Nečada, František Dvořák
Translation and proofreading: Daniela Krnáčová
Duration: October 30, 2025 – March 22, 2026
Venue: Bethlen’s House (1st floor), Dolná 141/8, Banská Bystrica
The exhibition was realised with the financial support of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region and the Slovak Arts Council.
The founder of the Central Slovak Gallery is the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region.
For their support, we thank DOKA Slovakia, Debniaca technika, s. r. o.; spoločnosť Lunter; BARZZUZ, s. r. o.; BANSKOBYSTRICKÝ PIVOVAR, a. s.
