US AMBASSADOR to Slovakia Theodore Sedgwick and his wife Kate launched the book of Slovak artist Robert Hromec titled “New Mixed-Media Paintings on Aluminum Plate” with cut foil. The book, issued by Cantor Art Press publishing house in New York, was introduced in Bratislava’s University Library on February 22.
The launch was accompanied by an exhibition of Hromec’s paintings.
“We consider the artist a half-American since he was there for nine years,” Sedgwick said, as quoted by the TASR newswire, adding that “we are proud of our cultural relations”.
The aluminium foil was chosen for the launch, because of Hromec’s current technique: he uses the aluminium plate on which he then makes his new pictures. Except for oil and acryl colours, he uses grinding and engraving.
“With this I get optical dimension which changes under various lighting and creates a three-dimensional impression when looking at the pictures from various angles,” Hromec told TASR.
According to head of Bratislava City Gallery Ivan Jančár, Hromec is the first Slovak artist whose book was published in a prestigious US publishing house.
One text to the book was also written by one of the best-known art historians from New York Rich Kinsel, MAD Award 2013 laureate.
“Robert Hromec belongs to the most important representatives of contemporary Slovak visual art,” Kinsel said, as quoted by TASR. “I met him during his work in New York 20 years ago and already at that time I was convinced that a big talent grew up in the small Slovak nation. Time has proven I was not mistaken; his unmistakable handwriting matured to valuable, original and interesting art.”
