Bratislava Confrontations

The main motivation for the artists involved in the Bratislava Confrontations was, as the name suggests, the mutual confrontation of their work. Their creations did not conform to the dictates of the ruling party but reflected contemporary global art trends. They had no ambition to present a unified programme, but if their work had a common denominator, it would be a structural abstraction. This style followed the Art Informel, while also reflecting the tendencies of new realism and pop art, emphasising structures created through various techniques such as applying different materials, burning, scratching, or dripping. Through six exhibitions, initially held in private studios, these artists succeeded in bringing attention to abstract art that mirrored the global development of art, securing an important place in the history of Slovak art of the second half of the 20th century.

Apart from organising exhibitions named after the Czech example ‘the Confrontations’, the artists also participated in exhibitions abroad, especially in Poland and Hungary. Yet, it would be incorrect to consider the Bratislava Confrontations as an underground movement, as these artists also participated in official exhibitions, such as the ‘Exhibition of Young Artists’ held in Bratislava in 1963 or the ‘Contemporary Slovak Art’ exhibition held at the Riding School of Prague Castle in the same year.

The Nedbalka Gallery presents the works of selected artists from the Bratislava Confrontations, such as Eduard Ovčáček, Miloš Urbásek, Jozef Jankovič, and Marián Čunderlík, who played a crucial role in shaping Slovak fine art. The exhibited works reflect the creations of leading artists of the Bratislava Confrontations from the period when this informal group was active, as well as their later directions, which significantly impacted the development of Slovak art and were strongly influenced by the participation in the Bratislava Confrontations.