Natural History Museum

The Slovak National Museum is proud to present the ceramic work of Slovenian artists Barba Štembergar Zupan and Niko Zupan. The couple work together at the V-oglje Institute, which isa ceramics center and member organization of the International Academy of Ceramics basedin Geneva. For 20 years, Barba and Niko have been organizing International Symposia of Artistic Ceramics, through which they established Blagnetova hiša in Šenčur, the only permanent collectionof artistic ceramics in Slovenia. In addition to exhibiting at home and abroad, they lecture and organize thematic workshops.

Barba Štembergar Zupan’s exhibited vases, flowers, bowls, and birds, demonstrate various techniques of her craft, which she has been engaged in for 35 years. Her apparently unpredictable shapes are in fact carefully planned and elevate objects from the functional to works of art. They prove that an artist with a sense of tradition and innovation can create utilitarian objects that also tell a story about their creator, the material, and the time and space in which they come to life.The three-legged bowls, which in the past were used for cooking and today have three legs of symbolic value as part of Barba’s expression, are good examples. Vases, which once symbolized prestige, are now an expression of individual style. For Barba, a vase is a universal object that brings nature into interiors. The modern interpretation of the vase combines heritage and innovative design approaches. She uses colors, textures, and visual richness to bring them to life as unique works of art that reflect the delicate harmony between material and shape. Her vases are notsimply containers for flowers; their placement in space becomes part of an overall coposition.They represent a platform for experimentation, an exploration of forms, and a reinterpretation of classic shapes.

Niko Zupan has been creating ceramics for 25 years, his passion being significantly influenced by his wife’s lifelong dedication to this craft. He perceives ceramics as an interweaving of passion,creation, research, and technological process. His works, which reflect extensive knowledge and experience, especially in the field of alternative firing techniques, such as raku, goli raku and saw-dust firing, often emphasize hands within the composition, which symbolize a deep connection with the materiality and tactile nature of his work. His mastery of ceramics and shaping techniques have opened new possibilities and brought many challenges in original solutions. The pieces - stones of various sizes that he creates, are characterized by their velvety softness and hollowness and, despite their emptiness, are perceived as full volumes. Inspired by ancient traditions, they function as natural ritual symbols, reminiscent of pebbles smoothed by water over millennia. Niko’s sensual interpretation embraces millennia in a single moment, with the spatial placement of these unique stones key to their visual and artistic effect. His delicate balance between past, present,and future creates a timeless resonance that speaks to the audience with a profound voice.

The exhibition is being held in collaboration with The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Bratislava and Institute V-oglje.