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.

Miloš Alexander Bazovský was born in Turany nad Váhom on 11 January 1899, the son of a teacher. The native land was among the factors that significantly influenced his later work. Bazovský studied in Pešť and later in Prague, which, after 1918, became an important centre of art and culture and the meeting point for visual artists and philosophers from all over Europe. The study stays abroad were very inspiring, but it was the native land that remained the artist´s life-long inspiration. Travelling around Slovakia, Bazovský discovered its inhabitants, their joys and sorrows. Drawings, pastels and photographs made during his travels later served him as studies for his paintings. He searched for a unique expression for the acquired knowledge, formally influenced not only by modern but also African, Aztec or Egyptian art. Yet, the moment of a spontaneous painting, stimulated by an emotional response to reality, remained very important for him.

Apart from painting, Bazovský also engaged in educational activities. Together with Janko Alexy and Zoltán Palugyay, they tried to introduce contemporary art to the broad public by organising lectures and inviting their fellow artists to present their work. Their activities represented a turning point in the informal education of the professional and non-professional public. Bazovský always stayed in touch with the younger generation of Slovak artists; he saw younger colleagues as his equals and was interested in their opinions and activities.

As an artist and a person, Bazovský yearned for new stimuli, which he translated into his works. His work is characterized by constant development and the desire to find a unique artistic expression. Faithful to his beliefs, he inspired the generations to come.