Painting 2025
Painting Competition – VÚB Foundation Prize for a Painting Work by Young Artists has, over the past two decades, become one of the most prominent initiatives supporting and promoting contemporary visual art in Slovakia.
This year again, we present the most outstanding talents among young professional painters in Slovakia and bring their art closer to the general public.
We invite you to the Nedbalka Gallery for the finalists’ exhibition, taking place from 19 September to 26 October 2025.
From more than 100 applicants, the international jury of renowned experts selected 20 finalists, once again including a significant share of new names. Ten debutants have been given the opportunity to present their works through this widely followed platform.
This year, the following artists are competing for the prestigious award (in alphabetical order): Zuzana Badinková, Adam Baník, Dávid Bátora, Martina Červenková, Daša Ďurišová, Michal Fízik, Marianna Franková, Paula Gogola, Paulína Halasová, Ľubomíra Chylová Sekerášová, Daniela Illéšová, Samuel Kollárik, Alžbeta Martof Pavčová, Jakub Mlynarčík, Ivana Mojšová, Alexandra Pradidová, Nikola Šušovicová, Šimon Tóth, János Vámos and Eva Vaňová.
The competing works are evaluated each year by a professional jury assembled in a unique composition. Distinguished representatives of both the Slovak and international art scenes ensure that the competition always gives space to the objectively best among the applicants. For the 20th edition, the jury includes Klara Kemp-Welch, art historian from the United Kingdom, Giovanni Morale, critic and historian from Italy, renowned Slovak visual artist Roman Ondak, and acclaimed Slovak painter Andrej Dúbravský, whose professional career was closely connected with the Painting Competition.
“We are delighted to celebrate this year’s jubilee, the twentieth edition of the competition, which is among the longest-running initiatives of the VÚB Foundation. We have always valued the feedback received from painters along this journey. It clearly shows that reaching the finals or winning the award brings artists prestige and recognition that open doors to the top league of the art world. For us, it is a great honour and at the same time a commitment for the future,” says Lucia Luptáková, Manager of the VÚB Foundation. Over the course of its history, the VÚB Foundation has recognised nearly 50 artists, awarding a total of EUR 400,000 in prizes.
This year as well, the VÚB Foundation will support the best artists with a total of EUR 30,000. At the same time, it will once again make the 20 best paintings accessible to the public through a free exhibition. The works of the finalists and further information about the Painting Competition 2025 are available at www.malba.nadaciavub.sk.
Ester M. Šimerová / M. Martinček – Painter and Photographer: Art Through Two Perspectives
The exhibition ‘The Painter and the Photographer: Art Through Two Perspectives’ brings to light the creative achievements of two Slovak artists who hold an irreplaceable place in the history of Slovak art and were united by a profound connection: Ester Martinčeková-Šimerová and Martin Martinček. Both artists have participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Slovakia and abroad, solidifying their legacy as significant figures in Slovak visual art.
Bratislava Confrontations
The Bratislava Confrontations became a significant phenomenon in the history of Slovak visual art during the second half of the 20th century. This informal group of artists significantly influenced the direction of Slovak art with their activities.
Jana Farmanová – Time for Woman’s World
Jana Farmanová, has been a prominent figure in Slovak painting for nearly three decades. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, in the Studio of Painting with Professor Ján Berger.
Painting 2024
The competition Maľba – Cena Nadácie VÚB za maliarske dielo pre mladých umelcov (Painting – the VUB Foundation Award for young artists) has fulfilled its mission – to promote Slovakia´s most gifted professional painters and raise public awareness of visual art – for nineteen years.
Erik Binder – Visual Punk
The exhibition “Erik Binder – Visual Punk” at the Nedbalka Gallery presents paintings by one of the most outstanding artists on the Slovak art scene after the Velvet Revolution.
Miloš Alexander Bazovský – Slovak Visual Ballad
The Nedbalka Gallery mounts several exhibitions a year, through which it presents to the broad public works from its collections that have not been included in the permanent exposition. The exhibition “Slovak Visual Ballad” presents the development of Miloš Alexander Bazovský´s work between the 1920s and 1950s.
Fero Lipták – Over Spilled Milk
Nedbalka Gallery presents “Over Spilled Milk”, a solo show of the Slovak artist Fero Lipták, at their space.
Maľba (Painting) 2023
The competition Maľba – Cena Nadácie VÚB za maliarske dielo pre mladých umelcov (Painting – the VUB Foundation Award for young artists) has fulfilled its mission – to promote Slovakia´s most gifted professional painters and raise public awareness of visual art – for eighteen years.