UĽJANA ZMETÁKOVÁ – Retrospective (Dedicated to My Father)

Date: July 1 – August 21, 2021
Curator: Helena Markusková

As a prominent representative of the photorealistic painting genre in Slovakia, Uľjana Zmetáková (1951) has preserved the creative continuity and the status of being a solitarian. She has stayed true to the foundations she had discovered at the dawn of her career. Her father, Ernest Zmeták—an eminent personality of the Slovak modern art scene, collector and founder of the Ernest Zmeták Art Gallery in Nové Zámky­—played an important role in the development of her value principles. Together, they shared kindred views on art, realistic foundations, interest in good workmanship and various art techniques. Ultimately, she set her focus on capturing reality in a different manner­—via photography patterns. What appealed to her was the perpetuity and truthfulness of expression—aided by her unique outlook. The works of Uľjana Zmetáková can be interpreted as ones “captivated by the beautify of visuality.” In these, she elevated exclusive moments to reflections on the being. Modest beauty, a feeling of contemplation and a metaphysical aspect given to subtle moments of commonplace realities—these all make her works truly unique.