DISCOVER JEWELRY / 30 Years of International Art Jewelry Symposia in Kremnica

Exhibition: DISCOVER JEWELRY / 30 Years of International Art Jewelry Symposia in Kremnica
Opening: July 17, 2024, at 5:00 PM
Venue: Pretórium, Nám. Štefana Moysesa 25, Banská Bystrica
Organizer: AURA Association of Jewelers
Exhibition Duration: July 17 – October 27, 2024
Curator: Mária Hriešik Nepšinská

The exhibition DISCOVER JEWELRY / 30 Years of International Art Jewelry Symposia in Kremnica presents a representative selection of works by participants of international jewelry symposia from 1990 to the present. The unique character of the collection—jewelry and objects created during creative gatherings of artists from around the world—documents the evolution of this artistic medium over the past 35 years, while also reflecting on years of intensive creative work by both artists and curators. The Kremnica Jewelry Symposium is one of the few events of its kind with the longest tradition in the European context. Its ambition is to facilitate intergenerational meetings of renowned personalities, both established and emerging artists, as well as students of fine arts. Creative work in the studio is always accompanied by informal discussions, exploring the genius loci of the historic town, culminating in an annual joint exhibition. Equally valuable contributions are the personal and professional contacts and close friendships formed during the symposia.

The symposium collection, which includes more than 200 works, represents a wide range of artistic approaches—from classic goldsmithing techniques with traditional materials, through designer solitaires and jewelry reflecting personal mythologies, to experimental artifacts made from diverse materials using alternative artistic methods and new technologies. The nature of the works is often determined by inspiration from the genius loci of the local environment, reflections on socio-cultural aspects, or as a result of individual artistic strategies. A specific and traditional theme is also the creation of a collective jewelry-object, for which the entire group of symposium participants contributes to the concept.

The International Jewelry Symposium in Kremnica is an event that contributes to strengthening and promoting Slovak art jewelry in the global cultural space and simultaneously brings this artistic medium closer to the general public. Since 1990, there have been 30 editions (1990–1996, 2002–2024), with 183 jewelers and artists from 25 countries participating. The continuity of the symposium has been supported by favorable conditions for creation in the goldsmithing workshop of the Kremnica School of Applied Arts, the support of school leadership and educators, and, in recent history, the cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in its educational facility in the center of Kremnica, as well as the city’s exhibition venues at the NBS – Museum of Coins and Medals in Kremnica. The tradition of Kremnica jewelry symposia significantly contributes to building professional relationships within the jewelry community, creating a creative atmosphere, and providing a space for the exchange of views among participants.

Kremnica is one of the oldest mining towns in Europe, with a rich tradition of mining and processing precious metals. In 1966, an art school specializing in metalworking (blacksmithing, engraving, goldsmithing) was established in the town—the only one of its kind in Slovakia. The initiative to organize creative meetings of jewelers with the potential for creative confrontation among artists came in the late 1980s from sculptor and ŠUV teacher Ján Korkoš, school director Karol Zábrady, and curator and art historian Ágnes Schramm (working at the Slovak National Gallery). Under the auspices of the newly founded AURA Association of Jewelers, the first symposium was held in 1990, focusing on silver processing using traditional goldsmithing techniques. Later, the symposium focused on creating unconventional jewelry from non-traditional materials to authentic artistic concepts that transcend the boundaries of the medium.

List of Exhibiting Artists:
Lenka Beranová, Anton Cepka, Ondrej Ďurian, Friederike Jünger, Ján Korkoš, Marcela Korkošová, Erna Masarovičová, Alena Nováková, Josef Symon, Jana Černá-Korkošová, Anna Daučíková, Oleg Fintora, Pavel Herynek, Simona Kafková, Marek Lichard, Pavel Opočenský, Karol Pichler, Zdenka Roztočilová, Ludmila Šikolová, Reiner Welzl, Karol Weisslechner, Jean Beining, Jana Machatová, René Hora, Peter Janík, Mária Kovaľová, Natália Mudrochová, Ruudt Peters, Annelies Planteydt, Eva Potfajová, Albert Smolka, Imrich Svitana, Andrej Šumbera, Jiří Belda, Daniel Brunovský, Peter Chatwin, Pamela Martin, Jiří Jahelka, Martina Mináriková, Ľubica Nagyová, Lisbeth Nordskov, Elena Pavúková, Felix Urs Stüssi, Miloslav Tomanec, Viera Brunovská-Trnkusová, Aleš Votava, Gabriela Felgenträger, Adri Hattink, Milan Lasota, Marilia Maria Mira, Juraj Opršal, Ewa Skrzyńska, Jacek Skrzyńsky, Imrich Vanek, Richard Walraven, Nancy Westenberg, Remigia Biskupská, Milan Greguš, Jaroslava Hoborová, Wojciech Kochman, Katharina Müller, Vratislav K. Novák, Alena Nováková, Brigitta Schulz, Sonja Bischur, Gundis Landers, Kuniko Sakurauchi, Jiří Šibor, Barbora Výrostková, Suzanne Wein, Karol Krčmár, Ján Sajkala, Annamária Kovaľová, Peter Machata, Martin Potaš, Tünde Uhrínová, Petra Zimmermann, Matej Bezúch, Vincent Durbák, Eva Harmádyová, Soňa Némethová, Hajnalka Fehér, Marián Hornyák, Sylvia Jokelová, Peter Mišík, Zuzana Rudavská, Hany H. Kašičková, Klára Berkes, Peter Humaj, Ján Jánoš, Mária H. Nepšinská, Zdeněk Vacek, Silvia Fedorová, Peter Ševčík, Marian Drugda, Jozef Šulek, Gabriela Čerťaská, Stefanie Klemp, Bety K. Majerníková, Matúš Kiss, Ulrich Reithofer, Kristýna Španihelová, Radka Kovačíková, Pavol Prekop, Monika Strasser, Gisbert Stach, Lucia Babjaková, Lucia Bartková, Ján Michalisko, Zuzana Muranicová, Viktoria Münzker, Ivan Žákovič, Marc Monzó, Danni Schwaag, Flóra Vági, Martin Verner, Tatiana Warenichová, Blanka Cepková, Andrea Ďurianová, Lucia Gašparovičová, Kata Kissoczy, Karla Olšáková, Hanka Polívková, Petr Vogel, Silvia Bartová, Mia Čopíková, Katarína D. F. Siposová, Mája Kindl Steffanová, Edu Tarín, Barbora Hainzová, Natalia Olarte, Flora Sekanová, Dana Tomečková, Tasso Mattar, Ružena Ovčiariková, Michaela Danková, Tereza Borlová, Frieda Dorfer, Barbora Jamrichová, Mandy Rasch, Jana Válková Střílková, Octave Vandeweghe, Mira Podmanická, Chistina Karababa, Marta Švajdová, Adriana Almeida Meza, Mirena Zlateva, Olga Chereshneva, Eva Hegedusová, Martin Grosman, Fruzsi Fekete, Neža Žehelj, Veronika Uhrecká, Slavomíra Ondrušová, Carla Castiajo, Timotej Blažek, Markéta Nováková, Viktor Kováč, Rose Stach, Timothy Carson, Lucia Gamanová, Darjan Hardi, Marta Havlíčková, Johana Chrienová, Réka Lőrincz, Aliza Orlan, Jakub Tauš, Dorottya Vékony, Lucia Čarnogurská, Mya Javorková, Ilarii Omelchenko, Barbora Opátová, Dorota Sloviaková, Jiří Štencek, Karin Šusteková, Salvador Vico, Namuunaa Ganbaatar, Silvia Gálová, Daniel Jirkovský, Juraj Mucha, Tomáš Doležal, Daniela Mládenková, Pedro Sequeira