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.
Viktor Frešo – Overheads
Viktor Frešo is among the most distinctive contemporary artists in the region of former Czechoslovakia after 2000.
Dominika Sládková-Paštéková – Gen like a Generation, Gen like Genitive
The exhibition consisted of three cycles of prints executed in the technique of linocut on canvas.
Dorota Sadovská – Angels and Saints
A focal point of the artistic programme of Dorota Sadovská is a body and its representation.
Ladislav Guderna – The Coincidence
The exhibition presented twenty-six works by Ladislav Guderna from the collection of the Nedbalka Gallery, which provide a comprehensive overview of his entire oeuvre.
Ildikó Pálová – The 27 Club
he Club is a list of popular musicians and painters who died at the age of twenty-seven.
Milan Laluha – The Poetry of Composition in Paintings
In the gallery´s collection he is represented by high-quality works from the entire creative period.
Milan Dobeš – Light and Motion
For me the basic means of expression is light and motion.
Glass – Sculpture. Object, Painting, Drawing and Photography
Exhibiting artists: Miloš Balgavý, Ašot Haas, Jana Hojstričová, Patrik Illo, Jozef Jankovič, Oliver Leššo, Palo Macho, Svätopluk Mikyta, Lukáš Mjartan, Štěpán Pala, Zora Palová, Jan Zoričák.