30 June 2021 • 3 min read

Gallery ATELIER HLAVINA — EXHIBITION 01

Opening Exhibition: Daša Ďurišová (Painting) and Darina Szöllösiová (Glass). With a festive vernissage, the ATELIER HLAVINA Gallery opened an exhibition of artworks by Daša Ďurišová (painting) and Darina Szöllösiová (glass). Although their works may seem unrelated at first glance, they were brought together for this opening exhibition for a reason—both artists originate from Bánovce nad…

With a festive vernissage, the ATELIER HLAVINA Gallery opened an exhibition of artworks by Daša Ďurišová (painting) and Darina Szöllösiová (glass).

At first glance, their works may seem unrelated. I chose to bring them together for this opening exhibition because both artists come from Bánovce nad Bebravou. For this reason, I deliberately selected the neutral title EXHIBITION 01.

However, during the installation, I realized how mistaken that assumption was. The two artists share far more than it might initially appear.

One of the most compelling connections lies in their involvement in the restoration of the castle in Pezinok. Darina Szöllösiová restored stained glass windows in the historic section while also creating new ones for the hotel area. At the same time, Daša Ďurišová contributed to the restoration and gilding of interior paintings, reliefs, and stucco decorations.

Without knowing each other, they were both part of preserving the same cultural heritage site.

When I introduced them prior to the exhibition, it was fascinating to watch them discover how their professional paths had crossed—not only in Pezinok, but also in other historical locations. Where one restored stained glass, the other worked on preserving frescoes.

Daša Ďurišová

Darina Szöllösiová

As I mentioned earlier, while installing the artworks in the gallery, I discovered several points of intersection in the work of both artists.

One such example is a piece titled Balance, created independently by each of them. The theme of instability and the constant need to make decisions—without certainty of the outcome—clearly resonates with both artists.

Daša Ďurišová approached this idea through the image of a balancing boulder, equally likely to fall or to remain firmly in place.

Daša Ďurišová — BALANCE

60 × 60 cm, acrylic on canvas

Darina Szöllösiová created a glass object that explores a similar theme of balance. A precisely cut, finely polished glass cylinder appears to rest delicately on its edge atop a horizontal plate of polished glass.

The two elements are not joined by any adhesive. Their connection relies solely on the artist’s meticulous craftsmanship, which allows the piece to remain stable despite its seemingly precarious position.

During the opening, the artist personally demonstrated to visitors that the two components are simply placed on top of each other.

BALANCE

height 25 cm

And one more delightful detail.

The day before the opening, Darina Szöllösiová saw Daša’s work Iris. She was so inspired by it that, by the next day—quite possibly without any sleep—she created a stained-glass counterpart to it.

Both works can be seen together at the exhibition.

Iris

50 × 40 cm, acrylic on canvas

50 × 40 cm, stained glass

In addition to the interior installation, the exhibition also extends outdoors. Glass objects by Darina Szöllösiová are displayed on the lawn beside the gallery, where they come to life each afternoon.

Glass Objects by Darina Szöllösiová

I warmly invite all those who have found these lines intriguing to set aside any hesitation and visit the first gallery in Bánovce nad Bebravou.

Come and experience its opening exhibition—immerse yourself in the depths of the ocean through the large-scale painting In the Sea, discover the beauty of the universe in the glass object Stars, and above all, take a moment to enjoy the quiet and calm in the presence of these works.