Culture Shorts

ÚĽUV tells stories of its masters


CRAFTSMEN Jozef Lenhart and Juraj Leporis, exhibit their works at Bratislava's Centre of Folk Art Production (ÚĽUV) at Obchodná 64 until January 21, 2006. The Stories of Masters is organized on the occasion of the artists' jubilees.

Lenhart works with wood, leather and metal. He decorates typical shepherds' dishes and their famous črpáky (carved wooden mugs), wide leather belts with brass buckles and items made from antlers. He also employs original folk techniques and patterns on modern items. His lady's handbag, for example, was inspired by a traditional wide belt bag with ornamental decoration.

Wood turner Leporis creates dishes and other small items of everyday use while respecting the natural characters of wood - density, odour, structure and colour. He prefers gentle wood processing with minimal surface adjustment. The high point of his turning mastery is a collection of large garden sculptures.



Bratislava opens new club


MUSICIANS Peter Lipa, Jana Kirschner and Erich "Boboš" Procházka opened a new club in Bratislava called Dopler on November 15 by christening their joint album Jana Lipa Boboš.

The modern club is part of the Multicentre Dopler, situated at Prievozská 18, in the Ružinov district of Bratislava. Jozef "Danglár" Gertli's cartoons decorate the club's walls. The club is preparing large Christmas parties on December 23 and 24.



Vavrová wins prize in Tokyo


SLOVAK artist Katarína Vavrová won the Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennial 2005.

Over 1,500 artists from 81 countries participated in the contest. Vavrová received the prize for her drawing 200 Years since H Ch Andersen's Birth I.



Prize for architecture goes to Marcinka


ARCHITECT Marián Marcinka was awarded the Emil Belluš Prize 2005 for his life's work. Last year's winner and president of the Slovak Architects Society (SAS), Štefan Šlachta, said that along with his 60 or so constructions and interior designs, Marcinka became famous for his publishing activities. He was involved in the first professional architecture magazines in Slovakia.

Among the most famous constructions of the Leopoldov native are the elementary school in Bratislava's Prievoz on Mierová and several buildings of the Slovak Academy of Sciences at Bratislava's Patrónka. Marcinka reconstructed wooden houses, worked on the renovation of the JG Tajovský Theatre in Zvolen and the Grassalkovich Palace in Bratislava, the seat of Slovakia's president. He worked on the palace as well as the surrounding garden, both of which, he says, still need finishing.



Rome presents Jakubisko's film


JURAJ Jakubisko's film about young people, Kristove roky (The Age of Christ), will be shown during the international film festival New Waves: New European Cinema of 1950s-1960s in Rome. Jakubisko's film will close the festival on December 29 and 30.



Roma garner triumph in New York


A BENEFIT concert by Slovak Roma artists held at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York on November 20 received standing ovations. The more than 600-seat Zankel Hall was completely sold out and the organizers had to refuse the same number of ticket requests.

The Roma Spirit Concert presented vocalist Janka Sendreiová, the brothers Anyalai, pianist Richard Rikkon, who became famous for accompanying the finalists of the show Slovakia is Looking for a SuperStar, vibraphone player Miroslav Herák, and 13-year-old pianist Patrik Žigmund.

The event was held within the festival Slovakia Presents: Celebrate Diversity of Central Europe, which is part of a wider series of events and activities presenting Slovakia as a future non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period of 2006-2007. Proceeds from the concert will go to the Young Roma Artist Education Fund.

Film screenings will close the festival.

Between December 2 and 5, New York's Anthology Film Archives will show several Slovak films, including Peter Kerekes' 66 Seasons, Matej Mináč's The Power of God - Nicholas Winton and Pavol Barabáš' 118 Days in Captivity of Ice.



Two Canadian towns screen EU films


FILMS from European Union countries are on show in two Canadian cities over the next few days. Ottawa's 20th year of the European Union Film Festival runs from November 17 through December 4. Vancouver's 8th year of the festival with the same title takes place from November 23 to December 8.

The festivals are showing the same films. They will present 23 films from EU member states, as well as movies from pre-accession countries Bulgaria and Romania. A Slovak film, the successful debut from Juraj Nvota, Kruté radosti (Cruel Joys), will be screened on December 3 in Ottawa and December 7 in Vancouver.


Prepared by Spectator staff
from press releases

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Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


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