Frešo lives and works in Czechoslovakia and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava and in Prague at the Academy of Fine Arts. His work and overall approach to art is rather untypical but at the same time they reflect the situation in the society and culture. The artist creates sophisticated concepts and projects presenting them as seemingly simple closed “Pieces of art”. He is often critical in his works and expresses his contempt of the art scene itself and its processes but with a light, humorous and playful undertone.
He prefers short interval between action and reaction and conditions of quick recognition of relations between the expressing “me“ and the indication “he”. Another very typical aspect is that he publicly presents his radical and often despising opinions of the society and art scene which might irritate and provoke a discussion about what is and what is not acceptable as contemporary art or just a self-centered affect of the artist.
Frešo lives and works in Czechoslovakia and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava and in Prague at the Academy of Fine Arts. His work and overall approach to art is rather untypical but at the same time they reflect the situation in the society and culture. The artist creates sophisticated concepts and projects presenting them as seemingly simple closed “Pieces of art”. He is often critical in his works and expresses his contempt of the art scene itself and its processes but with a light, humorous and playful undertone.
He prefers short interval between action and reaction and conditions of quick recognition of relations between the expressing “me“ and the indication “he”. Another very typical aspect is that he publicly presents his radical and often despising opinions of the society and art scene which might irritate and provoke a discussion about what is and what is not acceptable as contemporary art or just a self-centered affect of the artist.
„I was here.“ is a follow-up of the previous works from the area of self-portraits and works done in art groups, especially Fifty-Fifty group. The point is the inscription „Bol som tu“ at the gallery wall created immediately before the beginning of an exhibition. I have been dealing with so-called Eastern European thinking for some time (of course, the specification of the Eastern European thinking requires a longer discussion). I think that it is necessary not to separate this phenomenon from artworks. As the European art scene becomes united, this aspect has been fading away slowly and artists more often present themselves as cosmopolitan authors. The project cannot be presented otherwise than by a direct and truthful presence of its author and by his/her authentic gesture of writing. The fact that a gallery participates in the project (by inviting an artist, paying for his travel and accommodation) and then an artist writes „Bol som tu“ on the wall can look like unbelievable cheekiness of the artist but at the same time this act opens several very important levels of the intellectual perception of the artwork. Travelling is the key of this project concept. The effort to gain the biggest possible advantage at the lowest possible investment – thus minimum effort and maximum effect – is typical not only for so-called Eastern European thinking. Open acknowledgement of this type of thinking – the fact that the whole strategy is specified beforehand – brings the project on a very transparent and fair plane and it uses certain honesty and „politically correct“ openness typical for advanced democracies.
FIFTY CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS IN SLOVAKIA
It was recently said of Viktor Frešo that his art is like a virus – meaning that it has no body of its own, but takes different strategies, to which he adds his own branding; for instance, along the lines of a spectacle. This can be perceived as a postmodern strategy par excellence – elements of development reflecting the specific conditions of the Slovak art scene can be seen in this. Most of all, Frešo was always the litmus test for these conditions. His multifarious work, composed of objects, projects, actions, paintings, and prints has two main directions apart from this homogeneity – solo works and cooperation. In both, the monitoring of the (self-) position of the artist in the institutional (and therefore high) art scene and the art market is strongly reflected. Frešo says that only his objects and various types of installations can be considered as high art. On the other hand, painting – which he openly assigns the status of “mainstream” – and due to its controversial reception in specialist circles, is precisely what makes him thrive and make more attempts. In a Dantesque sense, Frešo is trying to conform to the consensus of society, legitimizing not only artists and creative programs, but also specific works into the “group” of those which are deemed valuable (verified, lasting). Penetration into this group does not have any strict rules; it is only given by interaction, which can happen anywhere and everywhere. If we compare this model to the social actions of the now internationally-recognized conceptual artist Július Koller (1939-2007) – who, during the period of communism subversively lowered the level of high art through postcard landscapes, or with work and exhibitions with amateur and semi-professional artists – then we realize that Frešo’s strategy is not lacking history. We will never admire the bravado of painterly expression, drawing upon the nihilism of the many strategies of Milan Dobeš (1929) or Juraj Bartusz (1933); rather, we will attempt to understand his critical view (within his means) of real artistic operation here and abroad. More than mere detail, the whole of his work will retrospectively become evident. Frešo’s “declarations” could be considered as the most striking until now: What Helped Me When (2005) – simple but candid personal written testimonies; several references about the artist’s presence or preferences in a given space (“I was here”; “I don’t like you…” and so on) are provocative non-works of art; Thanks For Everything You Did For Slovak Visual Art (2007) – a sign projected onto the front wall of the Slovak National Gallery – is a clear critique of real or potential institutional hegemony. His current work entitled God is Love (2013) is equally effective. Besides all of this, it could be claimed that the whole spectrum of Frešo’s work plays another important role – to provide a background for the effectiveness and directness of these simple, informal, and even anti-fine art, textual appeals
Richard Gregor: Viktor Frešo. Fifty Contemporary artist in Slovakia, Bratislava: Art Academy, Slovart, 2014.
SOMETHING ABOUT ART
I’m really happy to be able to introduce Viktor Frešo – another one of truly important artists of the young generation who evaluates conceptual experience in a new way, hence reflecting new topics anchored in their new era. Frešo’s concepts are always exactly defined, but diverse, and encompass a wide range of problems. He achieves this by frequently changing all useable media, including those that are less traditional at our environment, such as writings in galleries or in carefully chosen exteriors. Sometimes, they even deeply touch – with admirable precision – some social conditions in our country, by country I mean Czechoslovakia, and they succeed in presenting an artist’s role in this harsh period as the subject matter… I realised this fact the most clearly with his series Who is the King? (1) Viktor Frešo, looking as a successful young man, searches for ways how to get close to „celebrities“ and have his photo taken by them. Names of authors, given at each photograph, play with the ambivalence of „who is who“. By the way, only Milan Knížák reflected the author in his physical likeness, as these two are our „greatest artists“, he made Frešo smaller, he cut away most of his head… Július Koller photographed him with his own concept, but so-called „cultural elite“ admired by crowd was easily recognisable… And V.F. descends lower and lower, Helenka Vondráčková and Karel Gott photograph him happily. Here I like to quote recent words of Rudolf Filo: „he linked together the worst musical and artistic kitsch with a stroke of genius…“ The result is a fascinating reflection of absolute loss of the feeling for true values in our society! This is how media world works; media can make us completely dumb and insensitive… And what is the situation in the world of art? Again, besides Czech conceptual art, Slovak post-conceptual art, and the geometrical department selected by Getulio Alviani, Frešo was the artist who captivated us the most at Politi’s “anti- Knížák” PRAGUE BIENNALE 3 in 2007. So, actually, it was „our home artist“! He wrote on the big wall at the end of the exhibition hall: THANK YOU GOD THAT I CAN EXHIBIT AT PRAGUE BIENNALE 3 and added big VIKTOR FREŠO under it!(1)This really is an integral amalgam of seriousness, irony, self-irony, and, when the form of this exhibition piece is taken into account, also provocation in choosing this medium, as otherwise traditional, not very good paintings of all religious denominations prevailed there… But our viewers, especially the „experts“, ignored the start of the whole category of text art, even when it had taken place at the beginning of the sixties. Let me give you at least one pioneer example: Ben, founder of Ecole de Nice, still active member of the Fluxus movement… So, the text art itself has already had a 50-year history, its origins being of a slightly aestheticized form, hence if V.F. wants to be original, it’s logical that he has to emulate today’s non-artificial way of writing as much as possible! Then he can use his „writing language“ for other realizations, like those in his I WAS HERE :(1) series in which he treated his presence somewhere as a theme. When he did so within the exhibition context he made this elementary and, at the same time, key information into a work of art in situ… T hen he could develop the whole scale of various writings of the identical meaning in different languages at various places where he got to (up till now?). In my opinion, his pure text works are dominated in a different, semantic way by the series of Self-portraits, text pictures, where he very sincerely described what helped him in various critical situations, like WHEN I DON’T BELIEVE IN MYSELF AND HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT MY ART, THIS IS WHAT HELPS ME : (1), WHEN MY GIRLFRIEND LEFT ME, THIS IS WHAT HELPED ME : (1) etc. Only background of the period we live in has changed but Viktor Frešo made personal problems of every artist his topic, and these problems have always had its place in conceptual art, only today’s perception allows us to be more open about them… Or maybe not, as Frešo is still considered to be “problematic” by many? And maybe he was being even more personal in the text under which many of our friends could sign – his reaction written in the text spanning the entire room: I’M ¼ MAGYAR AND I’M ¾ PROUD OF THAT(1) – This is an ironical articulation of a sad fact concentrated into some type of conceptual paradox that is the problem of the whole Slovak state and majority of its citizens…
And I really couldn‘t tell, as it depends on the period, how big outrage I had evoked in 1969 (knowing that my visual poetry would become photographic as well) when I had written LOVE on the naked body of my partner and presented her everywhere and how big was the outrage following Frešo’s half-nude (mine was the complete nude) of a well endowed blonde on whose body he wrote VIKTOR FREŠO FUCKED ME(1) … This shows how much the language and communication level has changed! Words that were considered vulgar and used with some hesitation have become common (even in my own marginally created „more traditional“ poetry). A fish stinks from the head and our nature does not change, hence today self-proclaimed political and economic elite commonly uses similar words – am I not right? At the same time, V.F. began to create intellectually very subtle variations to different phenomena of last decades of „serious“ art: he brilliantly walks a tightrope between total seriousness and irony. Let me mention only briefly his playful variation to the subjectivity of Informel in painting done by a mop where a new distance is evident… Already in 2004, he created the set the last minimalist sculpture where he paraphrased the most basic geometrical shape: prism from various originally utilitarian materials. For certain, this was a reflection of his previous study of sculpture, a need to push forward his thinking in this medium as well… From a distance, he reflected something, which was perceived as being too radical… In 2006, Frešo reflected another form of minimalistic act by spilling a Coca Cola light bottle, which, then, together with the bottle and its cap, formed his big installation in Vienna Museum quartier. In 2007, this installation was logically followed by a colour paint sprayed onto the wall and let run to the floor: RED FREŠO GOBBLED UP EVERYTHING(1) , and by BLACK FREŠO GOBBLED UP EVERYTHING (1) in 2008 (here the paint ran in a single line). In 2008, the artist created a completely new radical reflection of a picture as a medium (or as an object, this difference is a somewhat nominal problem). Of course, this can also be perceived as a conceptual task: under the title WORK WITH CANVAS. Frešo coiled gauze around a picture in a shape of cross, or he connected three small canvases by white or brown tape, he literally worked with the picture itself as with an object. Of course, he worked in his own way of new visual communication which had been unseen up till then; reminding us a bit of sculpting work. His way mirrors his own character as well as codified stereotypes… In extreme case, he cut off the biggest possible piece of canvas and rolled it to the edge „as an object or a sculpture“, or he joined it with a conventional landscape picture at its top edge or he hanged it to the wall by two nails…
These severe interventions are complemented by much subtler monochromatic needlework: maybe this work stemmed from a sentence heard somewhere sounding like „those painters must work carefully like when doing embroidery (in case of painting with some traditional technique)“. Maybe he took it „at face value“ and with irony and self-irony he’s known for he made various needlework techniques into separate themes: either minimalist needlework in the middle of a canvas where he made a small green square, or in every corner when four interventions became a new topic of the whole canvas… A really fascinating playful paradox consisted in his trimming of all edges of a canvas from one corner to the next… All these operations were a true analysis of the picture itself, the template of which was analytical and fundamental painting based on the concept that dominated the international art in the seventies. V.F. is really irreplaceable in this art form… In his studio, he created series of objects which reflected minimal art only in a loose way and oscillated between seriousness and more and more subtle humorous distance: Trainer of a loudspeaker system carrier,: (1) a wooden box, cube, with four rubber wheels at each side – in theory this object can be moved but it does not have any function, it is a beautiful paraphrase of a functional object transferred by the author into the autonomous world of art. A similar case is Tyre: (1) a large tyre that cannot move independently because it is fitted with two pairs of small wheels and only on these wheels it can move – this is a beautiful paradox and playful evidence that art is always non-utilitarian! The highest extent of minimalist form and its semantic re-evaluation can be found in the installation DON’T YOU THINK YOU’RE OLD?, 2007. It was a metal pipe inbuilt in the passage into the following room at such a height that every adult visitor had to bend his or her head, creating also a reference to minimalist form or to a body act as a new game with visitors. Similar can be said for the artwork SO, THIS I CALL SCULPTURE, 2007, four-metre long wooden beam embedded into the gallery wall which visitors had to bypass (and to think about minimalists or author’s ironic play with language in both titles…) After these solitaires, new three-dimensional pieces were gradually created: Window, 2008 – a real open window that could only move on four small wheels, being so excluded from its usual use, was transferred into the world of art by this beautiful Duchamp-like gesture. A classic minimalist form was created from four connected windows – the cube, full of connotations, rejected by minimalists due to objects used for its creation, so it has become the integral part of current discourse with their art. The same in a more subtle form? For example, a sticky tape of 80 cm diameter made for the author that can link a wall and space in a new relation… Or Komatex sheet (which is already exhibited by the National Gallery of Prague in its Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art together with Window): a pliable sheet from the material discovered by the author… Komatex 2 dominated Brno Exhibition, two sheets propped up against each other in space and only their fixation between two strong carpenter’s couplers (which are otherwise used for gluing several layers of wood together) at each side created this subtle articulation of space… We can also see their other possible, more complex use – again it is a subtle dialogue with minimal art, probably the only one in our territory as artistic colleagues and friends of Frešo from Prague and Bratislava who have also reached this state of freedom to research properties of medium itself work very often with properties of a picture or photograph or text. Frešo’s contribution is unique in his ability to adequately re-evaluate minimalistic big forms, but also texts, in the way unknown before. And, as for his performances? First, his solo actions, direct ones, with the intention to provoke especially by the reflection in the mind of a viewer. To throw a stone with his name attached to it through a gallery window can be perceived today as a new aesthetical value of all „used elements“ – stone, signature and particularly a hole in glass… But a true reflection in a viewer’s mind could also sound like this: is it only a new aesthetical message, widening of artistic borders, or is it an urgent impulsion to think of the actual functioning of some specific institution? Let’s keep in mind that Viktor Frešo himself „put together“ one of private galleries in Bratislava… So, apparently, he is a man who has been given „something extra and other things to a lesser extent“ than his fellow men, and as he is mainly an extraordinary artist he articulates his need for reflection by a radical artistic gesture which is (still?) unexpected by the majority of our institutions.
Viktor Frešo is an artist who has thoroughly learnt the lesson of postmodernism and hence his artwork is based on realisation of various themes of problems, which he himself, under his own responsibility, considers to be important. His work is valuable and contributive, but also really multifaceted, and, in the artist’s opinion, his artworks that redefine the whole sphere of artistic practice are the most actual form of his endeavour.
Jiří Valoch
Academy of fine arts in Prague
2003-2005 – AVU – New media studio, Michael Bielicky: Prague.
2001-2003 – AVU – painting studio, Vladimir Skrepl: Prague.
1999-2001 – VŠVU – sculpture studio, J.Jankovič, J.Hoffstädter: Bratislava.
01.02.2017 – Viktor Freso Now, DSC Gallery: Prague
10.01.2017 – Overheads, Nedbalka Gallery: Bratislava
10.03.2016 – Platform Project 1, Army of the Niemnads, Affordable Art fair: London
30.08.2015 – Niemand in Amsterdam, Unveiling of the public sculpture, Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam
29.08.2015 – Birth of the Niemand, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava
09.07.2015 – Fragments of the 90’s, Boskovice, CZ
11.06.2015 – DOKOUPIL – FRESO, Kunsthalle Košice, SK
04.03.2015 – Part 1, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.10.2114 – I.N.D.I.A, all India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, India
20.08.2014 – Art is Nice, Dvoraksec contemporary, Prague, CZ
19.05.2014 – trAnSparEnt boX, Gallery Nova, Bratislava, SK
12.01.2014 – Park Me, Cotilla Gallery, Fort Lauderdale Miami, USA
04.04.2013 – Conceptual Hobby, Gallery JAMA, Ostrava, CZ
20.03.2013 – Pure For You, Gallery Komart, Berlin, Germany
13.11.2012 – Cataratas de Freso, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
13.11.2012 – Maison de la Plage, Domaine du Rayol, Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, France
09.10.2012 – Μεταμορφώσεις Βσλ Χβλ, Soga, Bratislava, SK
03.09.2012 – Buena Europa, Sindicatura Nacional de Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
23.02.2012 – Eastern Connector, Prinz Prager Gallery, Prague, CZ
17.01.2012 – CONNECTION, Eastern Slovakian Gallery, Košice, SK
13.10.2011 – VFINDC, The Koloman Sokol Gallery, Washington DC, USA
14.04.2011 – FRESOVSODE, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.09.2010 – Something About ART, Galerie U Dobrého pastýře, Brno, CZ
04.05.2010 – POP-FIX, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
31.03.2010 – POP-MOP, Soga auction house, Bratislava, SK
22.10.2009 – VIKTOR FREŠO IN CHICAGO, Open concept gallery, Grand Rapids, USA
11.11.2008 – Nemám rád jazz, ale mám rád Traditional club, Trnava, SK
18.04.2008 – ‘Don’t write anything about me, you cunt!’. Gallery Art Factory, Prague, CZ
03.03.2008 – VIKTOR FREŠO retrospektíva, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
01.11.2007 – VIKTOR FREŠO v Košiciach ta ne?, MAKE UP Gallery, Košice, SK
2006 -2007 – WHO IS THE KING?, Trnava, Nitra, Bratislava, České Budejovice, Košice, SK / CZ
29.09.2005 – VIKTOR FREŠO IN THE SPACE, Bratislava, SK
28.09.2004 – VIKTOR FREŠO V ŽILINE, Žilina, Sk
15.06.2003 – SK-CZK.3-2.3. Gallery CO14, Prague, CZ
05.11.2002 – CLOSED, Gallery CO14, Prague, CZ
18.02.2017 – Pasce a evidencie, Nitrianska Galeria: Nitra
07.12.2016 – Edition, Soda Gallery: Bratislava
26.11.2016 – EXEDITION 8+, Fabrica de arte Cubano, Havana, Cuba
24.11.2016 – Time After Time, MeetFactory: Prague
25.06.2016 – Planinka, Slovakia
18.06.2016 – Art Safari 31, Bubec, Prague, Czech Republic
16.06.2016 – Gods Own Country, Yorkshire Festival, United Kingdom
11.06.2016 – Transitory People, Parco D’Arte Quarelli, Roccverano, Italy
04.06.2016 – The Kunstwerk Carshüte, Germany
23.03.2016 – VERTI-CALL / 100JATY, Papírna Plzeň
17.02.2016 – Zbierka umenia, Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
17.12.2015 – REVERSED, MSUV, Museum Of Contemporary Art Of Vojvodina: Novi Sad
11.12.2015 – Glassplus à la Borges, DSC Gallery: Prague
04.12.2015 – Pure Energy, Elektráreň Pieštany
10.10.2015 – Nuit BLanche, Bratislava.
08.09.2015 – Rekunstrukcie, Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava.
08.09.2015 – Contemporary art 2015, gallery Nová síň, Prague
29.08.2015 – 3rd DANUBE BIENNALE, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava
29.05.2015 – Boží umnění, Kostel Nejsvětějšího Srdce Páně, DSC Gallery: Prague
23.03.2015 – THE SOFT CODES. Conceptual tendencies in Slovak Art, Wrocław Contemporary Museum, Wroclow, Poland
11.12.2014 – 999 I NINE NINE NINE, River Gallery, Bratislava
09.12.2014 – Christmas Bestseller vol.6, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
05.10.2014 – God is Love, Nuit BLanche, Kosice, SK
06.09.2014 – Collection Meulensteen, Museum Danubiana, Bratislava
28.08.2014 – Danube Dialogues, Bel art Gallery, Novi Sad, Serbia
26.06.2014 – Socha a objekt XIX., Bratislava, SK
20.06,2014 – Sculpture Lab, 4D gallery, Bratislava, SK
18.06.2014 – Upstream, River Gallery, Bratislava, SK
13.06.2014 – Magical Thinking, Gallery Rene Mele, New York, USA
14.05.2014 – Paper Obsessed + 2, Dvorak Sec Contemporary, Prague, CZ
19.03.2014 – Slovak Now, Dvorak Sec Contemporary, Prague, CZ
06.03.2014 – Skydivers, Brides & Wheels, Chimera project, Budapest, HUN
28.02.2014 – Zo Zbierky GCM, The Cyprian Majernik Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.02.2014 – Art Walk at Wynwood, Hangar Gallery, Miami, USA
18.12.2013 – Christmas Bestseller vol.5, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
16.12.2013 – FRESHPOP, Roman Fecik Gallery, Bratislava, SK
11.12.2013 – Home sweet home, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
07.12.2013 – ZERO YEARS, Freies Museum, Berlin, D
08.11.2013 – Contextual Art, The Cyprian Majernik Gallery, Bratislava, SK
20.09.2013 – Hommage a Peter Strassner III, Devin Castle Sculpture Exhibition, Bratislava, SK
14.09.2013 – ČESKO-SLOVENSKÉ HVĚZDY II, Gallery Miroslav Kubík, Litomyšl, CZ
12.09.2013 – TRKO, Trienále súčasného obrazu / Triennale of contemporary image, Kunsthalle Košice, SK
04.09.2013 – BODY VARU, Bludny kámen Gallery, Opava, CZ
17.07.2013 – Smalt art, Gallery Gong, Vítkovice, Ostrava, CZ
12.07.2013 – Creative Zone on Pohoda Festival: Trenčín
03.07.2013 – Opening of the new Kunsthalle, Unveiling of the public sculpture, Kunsthalle, Košice, SK
28.06.2013 – Open Studio, Bratislava, SK
27.06.2013 – Socha a objekt XVIII., The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
25.06.2013 – CITY CODE, Slovak institute, Moscow, Sheremetevsky Palace, Sankt Peterburg, Russia
23.06.2013 – Perla dell Adriatico, Kursaal, Grottamarea, Italy
20.06.2013 – Ba City Beat Festival: Bratislava
17.01.2013 – Podozrivý voľný čas / Suspicious Free Time, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.01.2013 – BINDERFRESH, Wen Two Like You, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
12.12.2012 – Pod jedličkou, Gallery NOVA, Bratislava, SK
11.12.2012 – Christmas Bestseller 4, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
28.11.2012 – Práce na papieri / Works on Paper, Gallery Z, Bratislava, SK
09.11.2012 – The Journey to St. Petersburg, Egbert Baqué Contemporary Art, Berlin, D
30.10.2012 – The Real Emotions at Muzeul Naţional de Artă Cluj, Cluj, Romania
28.09.2012 – Crazycurators Biennale 4, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.09.2012 – Hommage a Peter Strassner II, Devin Castle Sculpture Exhibition, Bratislava, SK
28.07.2012 – Intensivstation, Konzeptkunst aus Osteuropa, Endstation St. Josef, Königswinter, D
07.07.2012 – Sbírka Marek / The Marek Collection, The Moravian Gallery, Brno, CZ
06.07.2012 – Nové drevo: SNG on Pohoda Festival: Trenčín
30.06.2012 – We are still alive, Danubiana, Bratislava, SK
29.06.2012 – Socha a objekt XVII., Bratislava, SK
04.05.2012 – Binderfresh, Keď sa dvaja maju radi / When the two like each other, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
14.04.2012 – Balkón na Kudlákovej 5/ Balcony at Kudlakova St. 5, Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
10.04.2012 – Výstava zo zbierok MGRS / From the Collection of the Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
24.03.2012 – Zéró évek, Modern és Kortárs Művészeti Központ, Debrecen, HUN
24.03.2012 – Hommage a Markus Prachensky, Danubiana, Bratislava, SK
17.02.2012 – ObraSKovo nanovo / ObraSKovo Revisited, The Tatra Gallery, Poprad, SK
15.12.2011 – I Like, Binderfresh, Kressling gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.11.2011 – Zero Years, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
28.10.2011 – Bienale maľby III, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
20.10.2011 – Binderfrresh, animal live tour, The Oskar Čepán Award 2011, Bratislava, SK
02.10.2011 – Binderfresh, Fru Fru Gallery, Bratislava, SK
29.09.2011 – Binderfresh, Nuit BLanche, Kosice, SK
20.09.2011 – Sedmokrásky a klony / Daisies and Clones, The Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava, SK
13.09.2011 – HOMMAGE À PICASSO”, Galerie de l’Institut Français, Bratislava, SK
14.09.2011 – Zero Years, The Art Gallery of Považie, Žilina, SK
16.08.2011 – L´Art Goulache, River gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.06.2011 – Socha a objekt XVI., Bratislava, SK
22.06.2011 – obraSkov, Contemporary Painting in Slovakia, Wannieck gallery, Brno, CZ
12.06.2011 – AMoYA, Museum of young art, Prague, CZ
19.05.2011 – PRAGUEBIENNALE 5, Whatever we do we cannot connect with you, Slovak section, Prague, CZ
03.05.2011 – VELOCYPEDIA, The NTK Gallery, Prague, CZ
03.05.2011 – Nový zlínsky salón 2011/ The New Zlin Salon 2011, Zlin, CZ
28.04.2011 – ELE-MENTA GESTURES, Houser-Frešo, Meetfactory, Prague, CZ
15.04.2011 – The opening of permanent display open depository, The Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
14.04.2011 – Contemporary Slovakian geometry2, The Municipal Gallery in Pilsen, Pilsen, CZ
02.02.2011 – La Part Manquante, Galerie Michel Journiac, Paris, F
24.02.2011 – Binderfresh, AM180, Prague, CZ
17.12.2010 – Kassapoint, Košice, SK
16.12.2010 – Artloop & Cultural Institute of the Republic of Hungary, Bratislava, SK
04.11.2010 – Yeasty medium, Slovak Photography 1990–2010, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
08.10.2010 – Mobilnale, Prague, CZ
02.10.2010 – Nuit Blanche, Košice, SK
25.06.2010 – Nenápadné médium/ Yeasty medium, The Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
25.06.2010 – art-now, Kasárne Kulturpark, Košice, SK
24.06.2010 – Socha a objekt XV., Bratislava, SK
03.06.2010 – KAS IR ČECHU MAKSLA. Kulturas centra Ilgumciems, Riga, Latvia
25.05.2010 – Transgression,Videotage// Asia’s New Media Art Collective Since, Hong Kong
25.03.2010 – scharfer blick, heises blut, Glaerie des Slowakischen Institut, Berlin, D
23.03.2010 – /+\=X, Cape Town, South Africa
25.02.2010 – Formate der Transformation 89-09, Museum auf Abruf, Vienna, AT
24.02.2010 – Nenápadné médium / Yeasty medium, The Eastern Slovakian Gallery, Košice, SK
04.02.2010 – 12X12 covers exhibition, 66 gallery, Prague, CZ
14.12.2009 – BIENÁLE MAĽBY II.. / The Painting Biennial, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
04.12.2009 – 1st Danube Biennale, Danubiana, Bratislava, SK
27.11.2009 – V4 sympozium, Egon Schiele Art Centrum, Česky Krumlov, CZ
17.11.2009 – Formáty transformace / Formats of Transformation, The House of Arts, Brno, CZ
13.11.2009 – DIPMASTER III, Galerie Stephanie Bender, Munich, D
16.09.2009 – The Exhibition of Oskar Čepán Award finalists, The Eastern Slovakian Gallery, Košice, SK
25.06.2009 – INTERTEXT, The Ján Koniarek Gallery, Trnava, SK
25.06.2009 – Socha a objekt XIV., Bratislava, SK
25.06.2009 – The Oskar Čepán Award 2009, Gallery medium, Bratislava, SK
04.06.2009 – Open Office, aircraft gallery, Bratislava, SK
21.05.2009 – Nenápadné médium/Yeasty Medium, The Art Gallery of Považie, Žilina, SK
20.05.2009 – SKÚTER II – bienále mladého umenia / The Biennial of Young Art, Trnava, SK
09.04.2009 – Black & White, Bratislava, SK
08.04.2009 – The exhibition of the permanent collection of modern and contemporary art, The National Gallery in Prague, Prague, CZ
19.03.2009 – Olejomaľba / Oil painting, The Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
12.03.2009 – Fifty- Fifty group, Gallery NOD, Prague, CZ
19.02.2009 – New entry, Kressling Gallery, Bratislava, SK
05.02.2009 – Contact, Contemporay Norwieg and Slovak Art, Oslo, Norway
05.02.2009 – Contact: Contemporay Norwieg and Slovak Art: Oslo
15.01.2009 – ENTROPA: Teamwork on the projects with David Černy, Brussels
05.12.2008 – Olejomaľba / Oil Painting, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
24.11.2008 – The language of homour, SOGA, Bratislava, SK
17.10.2008 – 1960 –> present time / slovak art + czech hosts, The City Gallery, Prague, CZ
03.10.2008 – BIG GRUPPEN HYBRID PAINTING SESSION, Prague, CZ
10.10.2008 – Jeune creation 08- Exposition internationale grande halle de la villette, Paris, F
14 08.2008 – CONTACT – Contemporary Norwegian and Slovak Art, Bratislava, SK
07.08.2008 – VIDEOART IS DEAD, Cell Gallery, Prague, CZ
06.07.2008 – IM HERZEN EUROPAS, Badhomburg, Germany
26.06.2008 – SOCHA A OBJEKT XIII., Bratislava, SK
19.06,2008 – Egoart, Case History,The Central Slovakian Gallery, Banska Bystrica, SK
04.06.2008 – INTRO 518 TEI 69 TEŽ TEI 180 BONUS Q TRACK!, Karlín studios, Prague, CZ
03.06.2008 – INTERNATIONAL TRIENNALE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, The National Gallery in Prague, Prague, CZ
17.05.2008 – Egoart, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, Vienna, AT, Bratislava, SK, Budapest, HUN
23.02.2008 – cesky videoart, po kunde ti upadne pero, aero cinema, Prague, CZ
19.02.2008 – Movement under Blava, site specific projekt: Bratislava
12.12.2007 – XYXX: Karlin studios, Prague, CZ
25.10.2007 – CZECHPOINT 2, Museum of Arts, Zilina, SK
03.10.2007 – Bio-power 2, C2C, Prague, CZ
20.09.2007 – S.O.S, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
19.09.2007 – A4 – Sonata egoisticka, Popshop performance: Bratislava
07.09.2007 – Jesť sa musí / You have to eat, The Nitra Gallery, Nitra, SK
14.08.2007 – Bio-power, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
27.05.2007 – PRAGUEBIENNALE 3, Prague, CZ
21.06.2007 – POHODA festival 2007
03.05.2007 – HDP, The City Gallery, Prague, CZ
26.02.2007 – ¼ MAGYAR, Liget gallery, Budapest, HUN
24.01.2007 – PitoreSKa Wannieck gallery, Brno, CZ
28.06.2007 – SOCHA A OBJEKT XII., Bratislava, SK
17.05.2007 – SKÚTER – prvé bienále sučastného slovenského umenia / 1st Biennial of contemporary Slovak art, Trnava, SK
08.08.2007 – Just between us, Karlín studios, Prague, CZ
08.02.2007 – Moc – Dominancia / Power – Domination, The Central Slovakian Gallery, Banská Bystrica, SK
11.01.2007 – Autovize, City Gallery Prague, Prague, CZ
06.12.2006 – Bazár, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
28.11.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – Chaplin resident fighter, FUTURA, Prague, CZ
22.11.2006 – Sell me buy me, Galerie u Dobrého pastýře, Brno, CZ
01.11.2006 – CZECHPOINT, NoD Gallery, Prague, CZ
29.10.2006 – Memory day, Slovak Art Forum, Bratislava, SK
20.10.2006 – Transfer – Muzej savremene umenosti Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia
21.09.2006 – autobiographies, Secession Haus, Vienna, AT
20.09.2006 – for some seeds the meal is the end of the journey, Tranzit, Bratislava, SK
16.09.2006 – AIR CRUISER, Dunaújvaros, HUN
17.08.2006 – Tent of contemporary art, Piestany, SK
28.06.2006 – AIR CRUISER, Ustí nad Labem, CZ
22.06.2006 – Cibulák – Divadelny festival: Pezinok
25.05.2006 – RUNAWAY, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.05.2006 – AIR CRUISER, Forumstatpark, Graz, AT
22.03.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – Ostblock, Wienstations, Vienna, AT
28.02.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – Open studio, MuseumsQuartier: Wien
10.02.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – presentation, MuseumsQuartier: Wien
16.02.2006 – Office art, C2c Gallery, Prague, CZ
26.01.2006 – Chlap, hrdina, duch, stroj – Egoart, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
09.12.2005 – Bazár – Gallery Space: Bratislava.
09.12.2005 – Beauty free shop, Jungmannova str: Prague.
30.10.2005 – Sell me buy me, AVU Gallery: Prague.
29.09.2005 – Slovensky mýtus, Slovak National Gallery: Bratislava.
21.09.2005 – EGOART – 100 rokov reality,GMB City Gallery: Bratislava.
11.09.2005 – Market: Bratislava.
18.06.2005 – Hodokvas festival: Pezinok.
28.06.2005 – Beru si to osobne, Narrow Focus, Tranzit: Bratislava.
23.06.2005 – Vystava diplomovych prací, Veletržní palác, National Gallery: Prague.
23.06.2005 – Viktor Frešo kurátor: Žilina, Nitra, Trnava, Bratislava.
26.05.2005 – PRAGUEBIENNALE 2: Prague.
14.05.2005 – Blaspheme me – Utopiebaustelle Theaterplatz: Wiemar, Germany.
04.04.2005 – Konceptuální a intermediální tvorba: Prague.
01.04.2005 – Artist Bienale: Hong Kong.
21.03.2005 – Markéta Vanková: Prague.
09.12.2004 – Bazár, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
15.11.2004 – FOUR ROSES – Azorro group, Little Warshav, Kamera skura, Kunst-Fu, Bialystok, Poland.
09.10.2004 – BINDERFRESH – Autogramiáda, DK Vajnorská: Bratislava.
06.10.2004 – HOME PAGE – Daubner Gallery, Prague, CZ
01.10.2004 – Istroart, Medium Gallery, Bratislava, SK
14.09.2004 – BINDERFRESH – Erik Binder, Viktor Frešo, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SK
19.08.2004 – Hodokvas festival: Pezinok.
23.08.2004 – Workshop Kultur AXE: Gižycko, Poland.
11.06.2004 – XXX party, Nevertogether – Skrepl, Frešo, Mucska, Moyzes: Prague.
03.06.2004 – Error 1- Out of space, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.05.2004 – Otváranie cementárne: Banská Bystrica.
23.04.2004 – Ber si to osobne / Take it personally, AM180, Prague, CZ
27.03.2004 – European media festival, Osnabrueck, Germany
20.03.2004 – New Media Art Festival, Bangkok, Thailand.
19.02.2004 – INTERNET FOR FREE – Egoart, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
03.06.2004 – Error 1- Out of space, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
23.04.2004 – Ber si to osobne / Take it personally, AM180, Prague, CZ
27.03.2004 – European media festival, Osnabrueck, Germany
20.03.2004 – New Media Art Festival, Bangkok, Thailand.
19.02.2004 – INTERNET FOR FREE – Egoart, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
21.07.2003 – SCULPTURE GRANDE – Egoart: Prague
29.05.2003 – PRIVEĽA VÝNIMIEK – City Gallery: Žilina.
18.03.2003 – Vystava ateliéru Vladimíra Skrepla: Košice.
25.05.2003 – UNINISE – Mário Chromy, Viktor Frešo: Bratislava.
19.01.2003 – WORKSHOP – The school of the art institute of Chicago: Prague.
16.01.2003 – 281m2 – Václava Špála Gallery: Prague.
29.11.2002 – EGOART – V-klub, nám. SNP: Bratislava.
17.05.2002 – HEAVY METAL FOR SALE – Gallery Buryzon: Bratislava.
25.04.2002 – JOJO EFEKT: České Budejovice.
Awards and recognitions
Identification Code of Slovakia, Bratislava, SK
The Oskar Čepán Award finalist 2009, SK
„I was here.“ is a follow-up of the previous works from the area of self-portraits and works done in art groups, especially Fifty-Fifty group. The point is the inscription „Bol som tu“ at the gallery wall created immediately before the beginning of an exhibition. I have been dealing with so-called Eastern European thinking for some time (of course, the specification of the Eastern European thinking requires a longer discussion). I think that it is necessary not to separate this phenomenon from artworks. As the European art scene becomes united, this aspect has been fading away slowly and artists more often present themselves as cosmopolitan authors. The project cannot be presented otherwise than by a direct and truthful presence of its author and by his/her authentic gesture of writing. The fact that a gallery participates in the project (by inviting an artist, paying for his travel and accommodation) and then an artist writes „Bol som tu“ on the wall can look like unbelievable cheekiness of the artist but at the same time this act opens several very important levels of the intellectual perception of the artwork. Travelling is the key of this project concept. The effort to gain the biggest possible advantage at the lowest possible investment – thus minimum effort and maximum effect – is typical not only for so-called Eastern European thinking. Open acknowledgement of this type of thinking – the fact that the whole strategy is specified beforehand – brings the project on a very transparent and fair plane and it uses certain honesty and „politically correct“ openness typical for advanced democracies.
FIFTY CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS IN SLOVAKIA
It was recently said of Viktor Frešo that his art is like a virus – meaning that it has no body of its own, but takes different strategies, to which he adds his own branding; for instance, along the lines of a spectacle. This can be perceived as a postmodern strategy par excellence – elements of development reflecting the specific conditions of the Slovak art scene can be seen in this. Most of all, Frešo was always the litmus test for these conditions. His multifarious work, composed of objects, projects, actions, paintings, and prints has two main directions apart from this homogeneity – solo works and cooperation. In both, the monitoring of the (self-) position of the artist in the institutional (and therefore high) art scene and the art market is strongly reflected. Frešo says that only his objects and various types of installations can be considered as high art. On the other hand, painting – which he openly assigns the status of “mainstream” – and due to its controversial reception in specialist circles, is precisely what makes him thrive and make more attempts. In a Dantesque sense, Frešo is trying to conform to the consensus of society, legitimizing not only artists and creative programs, but also specific works into the “group” of those which are deemed valuable (verified, lasting). Penetration into this group does not have any strict rules; it is only given by interaction, which can happen anywhere and everywhere. If we compare this model to the social actions of the now internationally-recognized conceptual artist Július Koller (1939-2007) – who, during the period of communism subversively lowered the level of high art through postcard landscapes, or with work and exhibitions with amateur and semi-professional artists – then we realize that Frešo’s strategy is not lacking history. We will never admire the bravado of painterly expression, drawing upon the nihilism of the many strategies of Milan Dobeš (1929) or Juraj Bartusz (1933); rather, we will attempt to understand his critical view (within his means) of real artistic operation here and abroad. More than mere detail, the whole of his work will retrospectively become evident. Frešo’s “declarations” could be considered as the most striking until now: What Helped Me When (2005) – simple but candid personal written testimonies; several references about the artist’s presence or preferences in a given space (“I was here”; “I don’t like you…” and so on) are provocative non-works of art; Thanks For Everything You Did For Slovak Visual Art (2007) – a sign projected onto the front wall of the Slovak National Gallery – is a clear critique of real or potential institutional hegemony. His current work entitled God is Love (2013) is equally effective. Besides all of this, it could be claimed that the whole spectrum of Frešo’s work plays another important role – to provide a background for the effectiveness and directness of these simple, informal, and even anti-fine art, textual appeals
Richard Gregor: Viktor Frešo. Fifty Contemporary artist in Slovakia, Bratislava: Art Academy, Slovart, 2014.
SOMETHING ABOUT ART
I’m really happy to be able to introduce Viktor Frešo – another one of truly important artists of the young generation who evaluates conceptual experience in a new way, hence reflecting new topics anchored in their new era. Frešo’s concepts are always exactly defined, but diverse, and encompass a wide range of problems. He achieves this by frequently changing all useable media, including those that are less traditional at our environment, such as writings in galleries or in carefully chosen exteriors. Sometimes, they even deeply touch – with admirable precision – some social conditions in our country, by country I mean Czechoslovakia, and they succeed in presenting an artist’s role in this harsh period as the subject matter… I realised this fact the most clearly with his series Who is the King? (1) Viktor Frešo, looking as a successful young man, searches for ways how to get close to „celebrities“ and have his photo taken by them. Names of authors, given at each photograph, play with the ambivalence of „who is who“. By the way, only Milan Knížák reflected the author in his physical likeness, as these two are our „greatest artists“, he made Frešo smaller, he cut away most of his head… Július Koller photographed him with his own concept, but so-called „cultural elite“ admired by crowd was easily recognisable… And V.F. descends lower and lower, Helenka Vondráčková and Karel Gott photograph him happily. Here I like to quote recent words of Rudolf Filo: „he linked together the worst musical and artistic kitsch with a stroke of genius…“ The result is a fascinating reflection of absolute loss of the feeling for true values in our society! This is how media world works; media can make us completely dumb and insensitive… And what is the situation in the world of art? Again, besides Czech conceptual art, Slovak post-conceptual art, and the geometrical department selected by Getulio Alviani, Frešo was the artist who captivated us the most at Politi’s “anti- Knížák” PRAGUE BIENNALE 3 in 2007. So, actually, it was „our home artist“! He wrote on the big wall at the end of the exhibition hall: THANK YOU GOD THAT I CAN EXHIBIT AT PRAGUE BIENNALE 3 and added big VIKTOR FREŠO under it!(1)This really is an integral amalgam of seriousness, irony, self-irony, and, when the form of this exhibition piece is taken into account, also provocation in choosing this medium, as otherwise traditional, not very good paintings of all religious denominations prevailed there… But our viewers, especially the „experts“, ignored the start of the whole category of text art, even when it had taken place at the beginning of the sixties. Let me give you at least one pioneer example: Ben, founder of Ecole de Nice, still active member of the Fluxus movement… So, the text art itself has already had a 50-year history, its origins being of a slightly aestheticized form, hence if V.F. wants to be original, it’s logical that he has to emulate today’s non-artificial way of writing as much as possible! Then he can use his „writing language“ for other realizations, like those in his I WAS HERE :(1) series in which he treated his presence somewhere as a theme. When he did so within the exhibition context he made this elementary and, at the same time, key information into a work of art in situ… T hen he could develop the whole scale of various writings of the identical meaning in different languages at various places where he got to (up till now?). In my opinion, his pure text works are dominated in a different, semantic way by the series of Self-portraits, text pictures, where he very sincerely described what helped him in various critical situations, like WHEN I DON’T BELIEVE IN MYSELF AND HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT MY ART, THIS IS WHAT HELPS ME : (1), WHEN MY GIRLFRIEND LEFT ME, THIS IS WHAT HELPED ME : (1) etc. Only background of the period we live in has changed but Viktor Frešo made personal problems of every artist his topic, and these problems have always had its place in conceptual art, only today’s perception allows us to be more open about them… Or maybe not, as Frešo is still considered to be “problematic” by many? And maybe he was being even more personal in the text under which many of our friends could sign – his reaction written in the text spanning the entire room: I’M ¼ MAGYAR AND I’M ¾ PROUD OF THAT(1) – This is an ironical articulation of a sad fact concentrated into some type of conceptual paradox that is the problem of the whole Slovak state and majority of its citizens…
And I really couldn‘t tell, as it depends on the period, how big outrage I had evoked in 1969 (knowing that my visual poetry would become photographic as well) when I had written LOVE on the naked body of my partner and presented her everywhere and how big was the outrage following Frešo’s half-nude (mine was the complete nude) of a well endowed blonde on whose body he wrote VIKTOR FREŠO FUCKED ME(1) … This shows how much the language and communication level has changed! Words that were considered vulgar and used with some hesitation have become common (even in my own marginally created „more traditional“ poetry). A fish stinks from the head and our nature does not change, hence today self-proclaimed political and economic elite commonly uses similar words – am I not right? At the same time, V.F. began to create intellectually very subtle variations to different phenomena of last decades of „serious“ art: he brilliantly walks a tightrope between total seriousness and irony. Let me mention only briefly his playful variation to the subjectivity of Informel in painting done by a mop where a new distance is evident… Already in 2004, he created the set the last minimalist sculpture where he paraphrased the most basic geometrical shape: prism from various originally utilitarian materials. For certain, this was a reflection of his previous study of sculpture, a need to push forward his thinking in this medium as well… From a distance, he reflected something, which was perceived as being too radical… In 2006, Frešo reflected another form of minimalistic act by spilling a Coca Cola light bottle, which, then, together with the bottle and its cap, formed his big installation in Vienna Museum quartier. In 2007, this installation was logically followed by a colour paint sprayed onto the wall and let run to the floor: RED FREŠO GOBBLED UP EVERYTHING(1) , and by BLACK FREŠO GOBBLED UP EVERYTHING (1) in 2008 (here the paint ran in a single line). In 2008, the artist created a completely new radical reflection of a picture as a medium (or as an object, this difference is a somewhat nominal problem). Of course, this can also be perceived as a conceptual task: under the title WORK WITH CANVAS. Frešo coiled gauze around a picture in a shape of cross, or he connected three small canvases by white or brown tape, he literally worked with the picture itself as with an object. Of course, he worked in his own way of new visual communication which had been unseen up till then; reminding us a bit of sculpting work. His way mirrors his own character as well as codified stereotypes… In extreme case, he cut off the biggest possible piece of canvas and rolled it to the edge „as an object or a sculpture“, or he joined it with a conventional landscape picture at its top edge or he hanged it to the wall by two nails…
These severe interventions are complemented by much subtler monochromatic needlework: maybe this work stemmed from a sentence heard somewhere sounding like „those painters must work carefully like when doing embroidery (in case of painting with some traditional technique)“. Maybe he took it „at face value“ and with irony and self-irony he’s known for he made various needlework techniques into separate themes: either minimalist needlework in the middle of a canvas where he made a small green square, or in every corner when four interventions became a new topic of the whole canvas… A really fascinating playful paradox consisted in his trimming of all edges of a canvas from one corner to the next… All these operations were a true analysis of the picture itself, the template of which was analytical and fundamental painting based on the concept that dominated the international art in the seventies. V.F. is really irreplaceable in this art form… In his studio, he created series of objects which reflected minimal art only in a loose way and oscillated between seriousness and more and more subtle humorous distance: Trainer of a loudspeaker system carrier,: (1) a wooden box, cube, with four rubber wheels at each side – in theory this object can be moved but it does not have any function, it is a beautiful paraphrase of a functional object transferred by the author into the autonomous world of art. A similar case is Tyre: (1) a large tyre that cannot move independently because it is fitted with two pairs of small wheels and only on these wheels it can move – this is a beautiful paradox and playful evidence that art is always non-utilitarian! The highest extent of minimalist form and its semantic re-evaluation can be found in the installation DON’T YOU THINK YOU’RE OLD?, 2007. It was a metal pipe inbuilt in the passage into the following room at such a height that every adult visitor had to bend his or her head, creating also a reference to minimalist form or to a body act as a new game with visitors. Similar can be said for the artwork SO, THIS I CALL SCULPTURE, 2007, four-metre long wooden beam embedded into the gallery wall which visitors had to bypass (and to think about minimalists or author’s ironic play with language in both titles…) After these solitaires, new three-dimensional pieces were gradually created: Window, 2008 – a real open window that could only move on four small wheels, being so excluded from its usual use, was transferred into the world of art by this beautiful Duchamp-like gesture. A classic minimalist form was created from four connected windows – the cube, full of connotations, rejected by minimalists due to objects used for its creation, so it has become the integral part of current discourse with their art. The same in a more subtle form? For example, a sticky tape of 80 cm diameter made for the author that can link a wall and space in a new relation… Or Komatex sheet (which is already exhibited by the National Gallery of Prague in its Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art together with Window): a pliable sheet from the material discovered by the author… Komatex 2 dominated Brno Exhibition, two sheets propped up against each other in space and only their fixation between two strong carpenter’s couplers (which are otherwise used for gluing several layers of wood together) at each side created this subtle articulation of space… We can also see their other possible, more complex use – again it is a subtle dialogue with minimal art, probably the only one in our territory as artistic colleagues and friends of Frešo from Prague and Bratislava who have also reached this state of freedom to research properties of medium itself work very often with properties of a picture or photograph or text. Frešo’s contribution is unique in his ability to adequately re-evaluate minimalistic big forms, but also texts, in the way unknown before. And, as for his performances? First, his solo actions, direct ones, with the intention to provoke especially by the reflection in the mind of a viewer. To throw a stone with his name attached to it through a gallery window can be perceived today as a new aesthetical value of all „used elements“ – stone, signature and particularly a hole in glass… But a true reflection in a viewer’s mind could also sound like this: is it only a new aesthetical message, widening of artistic borders, or is it an urgent impulsion to think of the actual functioning of some specific institution? Let’s keep in mind that Viktor Frešo himself „put together“ one of private galleries in Bratislava… So, apparently, he is a man who has been given „something extra and other things to a lesser extent“ than his fellow men, and as he is mainly an extraordinary artist he articulates his need for reflection by a radical artistic gesture which is (still?) unexpected by the majority of our institutions.
Viktor Frešo is an artist who has thoroughly learnt the lesson of postmodernism and hence his artwork is based on realisation of various themes of problems, which he himself, under his own responsibility, considers to be important. His work is valuable and contributive, but also really multifaceted, and, in the artist’s opinion, his artworks that redefine the whole sphere of artistic practice are the most actual form of his endeavour.
Jiří Valoch
Academy of fine arts in Prague
2003-2005 – AVU – New media studio, Michael Bielicky: Prague.
2001-2003 – AVU – painting studio, Vladimir Skrepl: Prague.
1999-2001 – VŠVU – sculpture studio, J.Jankovič, J.Hoffstädter: Bratislava.
01.02.2017 – Viktor Freso Now, DSC Gallery: Prague
10.01.2017 – Overheads, Nedbalka Gallery: Bratislava
10.03.2016 – Platform Project 1, Army of the Niemnads, Affordable Art fair: London
30.08.2015 – Niemand in Amsterdam, Unveiling of the public sculpture, Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam
29.08.2015 – Birth of the Niemand, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava
09.07.2015 – Fragments of the 90’s, Boskovice, CZ
11.06.2015 – DOKOUPIL – FRESO, Kunsthalle Košice, SK
04.03.2015 – Part 1, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.10.2114 – I.N.D.I.A, all India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, India
20.08.2014 – Art is Nice, Dvoraksec contemporary, Prague, CZ
19.05.2014 – trAnSparEnt boX, Gallery Nova, Bratislava, SK
12.01.2014 – Park Me, Cotilla Gallery, Fort Lauderdale Miami, USA
04.04.2013 – Conceptual Hobby, Gallery JAMA, Ostrava, CZ
20.03.2013 – Pure For You, Gallery Komart, Berlin, Germany
13.11.2012 – Cataratas de Freso, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
13.11.2012 – Maison de la Plage, Domaine du Rayol, Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, France
09.10.2012 – Μεταμορφώσεις Βσλ Χβλ, Soga, Bratislava, SK
03.09.2012 – Buena Europa, Sindicatura Nacional de Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
23.02.2012 – Eastern Connector, Prinz Prager Gallery, Prague, CZ
17.01.2012 – CONNECTION, Eastern Slovakian Gallery, Košice, SK
13.10.2011 – VFINDC, The Koloman Sokol Gallery, Washington DC, USA
14.04.2011 – FRESOVSODE, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.09.2010 – Something About ART, Galerie U Dobrého pastýře, Brno, CZ
04.05.2010 – POP-FIX, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
31.03.2010 – POP-MOP, Soga auction house, Bratislava, SK
22.10.2009 – VIKTOR FREŠO IN CHICAGO, Open concept gallery, Grand Rapids, USA
11.11.2008 – Nemám rád jazz, ale mám rád Traditional club, Trnava, SK
18.04.2008 – ‘Don’t write anything about me, you cunt!’. Gallery Art Factory, Prague, CZ
03.03.2008 – VIKTOR FREŠO retrospektíva, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
01.11.2007 – VIKTOR FREŠO v Košiciach ta ne?, MAKE UP Gallery, Košice, SK
2006 -2007 – WHO IS THE KING?, Trnava, Nitra, Bratislava, České Budejovice, Košice, SK / CZ
29.09.2005 – VIKTOR FREŠO IN THE SPACE, Bratislava, SK
28.09.2004 – VIKTOR FREŠO V ŽILINE, Žilina, Sk
15.06.2003 – SK-CZK.3-2.3. Gallery CO14, Prague, CZ
05.11.2002 – CLOSED, Gallery CO14, Prague, CZ
18.02.2017 – Pasce a evidencie, Nitrianska Galeria: Nitra
07.12.2016 – Edition, Soda Gallery: Bratislava
26.11.2016 – EXEDITION 8+, Fabrica de arte Cubano, Havana, Cuba
24.11.2016 – Time After Time, MeetFactory: Prague
25.06.2016 – Planinka, Slovakia
18.06.2016 – Art Safari 31, Bubec, Prague, Czech Republic
16.06.2016 – Gods Own Country, Yorkshire Festival, United Kingdom
11.06.2016 – Transitory People, Parco D’Arte Quarelli, Roccverano, Italy
04.06.2016 – The Kunstwerk Carshüte, Germany
23.03.2016 – VERTI-CALL / 100JATY, Papírna Plzeň
17.02.2016 – Zbierka umenia, Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
17.12.2015 – REVERSED, MSUV, Museum Of Contemporary Art Of Vojvodina: Novi Sad
11.12.2015 – Glassplus à la Borges, DSC Gallery: Prague
04.12.2015 – Pure Energy, Elektráreň Pieštany
10.10.2015 – Nuit BLanche, Bratislava.
08.09.2015 – Rekunstrukcie, Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava.
08.09.2015 – Contemporary art 2015, gallery Nová síň, Prague
29.08.2015 – 3rd DANUBE BIENNALE, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava
29.05.2015 – Boží umnění, Kostel Nejsvětějšího Srdce Páně, DSC Gallery: Prague
23.03.2015 – THE SOFT CODES. Conceptual tendencies in Slovak Art, Wrocław Contemporary Museum, Wroclow, Poland
11.12.2014 – 999 I NINE NINE NINE, River Gallery, Bratislava
09.12.2014 – Christmas Bestseller vol.6, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
05.10.2014 – God is Love, Nuit BLanche, Kosice, SK
06.09.2014 – Collection Meulensteen, Museum Danubiana, Bratislava
28.08.2014 – Danube Dialogues, Bel art Gallery, Novi Sad, Serbia
26.06.2014 – Socha a objekt XIX., Bratislava, SK
20.06,2014 – Sculpture Lab, 4D gallery, Bratislava, SK
18.06.2014 – Upstream, River Gallery, Bratislava, SK
13.06.2014 – Magical Thinking, Gallery Rene Mele, New York, USA
14.05.2014 – Paper Obsessed + 2, Dvorak Sec Contemporary, Prague, CZ
19.03.2014 – Slovak Now, Dvorak Sec Contemporary, Prague, CZ
06.03.2014 – Skydivers, Brides & Wheels, Chimera project, Budapest, HUN
28.02.2014 – Zo Zbierky GCM, The Cyprian Majernik Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.02.2014 – Art Walk at Wynwood, Hangar Gallery, Miami, USA
18.12.2013 – Christmas Bestseller vol.5, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
16.12.2013 – FRESHPOP, Roman Fecik Gallery, Bratislava, SK
11.12.2013 – Home sweet home, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
07.12.2013 – ZERO YEARS, Freies Museum, Berlin, D
08.11.2013 – Contextual Art, The Cyprian Majernik Gallery, Bratislava, SK
20.09.2013 – Hommage a Peter Strassner III, Devin Castle Sculpture Exhibition, Bratislava, SK
14.09.2013 – ČESKO-SLOVENSKÉ HVĚZDY II, Gallery Miroslav Kubík, Litomyšl, CZ
12.09.2013 – TRKO, Trienále súčasného obrazu / Triennale of contemporary image, Kunsthalle Košice, SK
04.09.2013 – BODY VARU, Bludny kámen Gallery, Opava, CZ
17.07.2013 – Smalt art, Gallery Gong, Vítkovice, Ostrava, CZ
12.07.2013 – Creative Zone on Pohoda Festival: Trenčín
03.07.2013 – Opening of the new Kunsthalle, Unveiling of the public sculpture, Kunsthalle, Košice, SK
28.06.2013 – Open Studio, Bratislava, SK
27.06.2013 – Socha a objekt XVIII., The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
25.06.2013 – CITY CODE, Slovak institute, Moscow, Sheremetevsky Palace, Sankt Peterburg, Russia
23.06.2013 – Perla dell Adriatico, Kursaal, Grottamarea, Italy
20.06.2013 – Ba City Beat Festival: Bratislava
17.01.2013 – Podozrivý voľný čas / Suspicious Free Time, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.01.2013 – BINDERFRESH, Wen Two Like You, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
12.12.2012 – Pod jedličkou, Gallery NOVA, Bratislava, SK
11.12.2012 – Christmas Bestseller 4, SODA Gallery, Bratislava, SK
28.11.2012 – Práce na papieri / Works on Paper, Gallery Z, Bratislava, SK
09.11.2012 – The Journey to St. Petersburg, Egbert Baqué Contemporary Art, Berlin, D
30.10.2012 – The Real Emotions at Muzeul Naţional de Artă Cluj, Cluj, Romania
28.09.2012 – Crazycurators Biennale 4, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.09.2012 – Hommage a Peter Strassner II, Devin Castle Sculpture Exhibition, Bratislava, SK
28.07.2012 – Intensivstation, Konzeptkunst aus Osteuropa, Endstation St. Josef, Königswinter, D
07.07.2012 – Sbírka Marek / The Marek Collection, The Moravian Gallery, Brno, CZ
06.07.2012 – Nové drevo: SNG on Pohoda Festival: Trenčín
30.06.2012 – We are still alive, Danubiana, Bratislava, SK
29.06.2012 – Socha a objekt XVII., Bratislava, SK
04.05.2012 – Binderfresh, Keď sa dvaja maju radi / When the two like each other, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
14.04.2012 – Balkón na Kudlákovej 5/ Balcony at Kudlakova St. 5, Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
10.04.2012 – Výstava zo zbierok MGRS / From the Collection of the Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
24.03.2012 – Zéró évek, Modern és Kortárs Művészeti Központ, Debrecen, HUN
24.03.2012 – Hommage a Markus Prachensky, Danubiana, Bratislava, SK
17.02.2012 – ObraSKovo nanovo / ObraSKovo Revisited, The Tatra Gallery, Poprad, SK
15.12.2011 – I Like, Binderfresh, Kressling gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.11.2011 – Zero Years, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
28.10.2011 – Bienale maľby III, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
20.10.2011 – Binderfrresh, animal live tour, The Oskar Čepán Award 2011, Bratislava, SK
02.10.2011 – Binderfresh, Fru Fru Gallery, Bratislava, SK
29.09.2011 – Binderfresh, Nuit BLanche, Kosice, SK
20.09.2011 – Sedmokrásky a klony / Daisies and Clones, The Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava, SK
13.09.2011 – HOMMAGE À PICASSO”, Galerie de l’Institut Français, Bratislava, SK
14.09.2011 – Zero Years, The Art Gallery of Považie, Žilina, SK
16.08.2011 – L´Art Goulache, River gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.06.2011 – Socha a objekt XVI., Bratislava, SK
22.06.2011 – obraSkov, Contemporary Painting in Slovakia, Wannieck gallery, Brno, CZ
12.06.2011 – AMoYA, Museum of young art, Prague, CZ
19.05.2011 – PRAGUEBIENNALE 5, Whatever we do we cannot connect with you, Slovak section, Prague, CZ
03.05.2011 – VELOCYPEDIA, The NTK Gallery, Prague, CZ
03.05.2011 – Nový zlínsky salón 2011/ The New Zlin Salon 2011, Zlin, CZ
28.04.2011 – ELE-MENTA GESTURES, Houser-Frešo, Meetfactory, Prague, CZ
15.04.2011 – The opening of permanent display open depository, The Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
14.04.2011 – Contemporary Slovakian geometry2, The Municipal Gallery in Pilsen, Pilsen, CZ
02.02.2011 – La Part Manquante, Galerie Michel Journiac, Paris, F
24.02.2011 – Binderfresh, AM180, Prague, CZ
17.12.2010 – Kassapoint, Košice, SK
16.12.2010 – Artloop & Cultural Institute of the Republic of Hungary, Bratislava, SK
04.11.2010 – Yeasty medium, Slovak Photography 1990–2010, The House of Arts, Bratislava, SK
08.10.2010 – Mobilnale, Prague, CZ
02.10.2010 – Nuit Blanche, Košice, SK
25.06.2010 – Nenápadné médium/ Yeasty medium, The Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
25.06.2010 – art-now, Kasárne Kulturpark, Košice, SK
24.06.2010 – Socha a objekt XV., Bratislava, SK
03.06.2010 – KAS IR ČECHU MAKSLA. Kulturas centra Ilgumciems, Riga, Latvia
25.05.2010 – Transgression,Videotage// Asia’s New Media Art Collective Since, Hong Kong
25.03.2010 – scharfer blick, heises blut, Glaerie des Slowakischen Institut, Berlin, D
23.03.2010 – /+\=X, Cape Town, South Africa
25.02.2010 – Formate der Transformation 89-09, Museum auf Abruf, Vienna, AT
24.02.2010 – Nenápadné médium / Yeasty medium, The Eastern Slovakian Gallery, Košice, SK
04.02.2010 – 12X12 covers exhibition, 66 gallery, Prague, CZ
14.12.2009 – BIENÁLE MAĽBY II.. / The Painting Biennial, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
04.12.2009 – 1st Danube Biennale, Danubiana, Bratislava, SK
27.11.2009 – V4 sympozium, Egon Schiele Art Centrum, Česky Krumlov, CZ
17.11.2009 – Formáty transformace / Formats of Transformation, The House of Arts, Brno, CZ
13.11.2009 – DIPMASTER III, Galerie Stephanie Bender, Munich, D
16.09.2009 – The Exhibition of Oskar Čepán Award finalists, The Eastern Slovakian Gallery, Košice, SK
25.06.2009 – INTERTEXT, The Ján Koniarek Gallery, Trnava, SK
25.06.2009 – Socha a objekt XIV., Bratislava, SK
25.06.2009 – The Oskar Čepán Award 2009, Gallery medium, Bratislava, SK
04.06.2009 – Open Office, aircraft gallery, Bratislava, SK
21.05.2009 – Nenápadné médium/Yeasty Medium, The Art Gallery of Považie, Žilina, SK
20.05.2009 – SKÚTER II – bienále mladého umenia / The Biennial of Young Art, Trnava, SK
09.04.2009 – Black & White, Bratislava, SK
08.04.2009 – The exhibition of the permanent collection of modern and contemporary art, The National Gallery in Prague, Prague, CZ
19.03.2009 – Olejomaľba / Oil painting, The Cyprián Majerník Gallery, Bratislava, SK
12.03.2009 – Fifty- Fifty group, Gallery NOD, Prague, CZ
19.02.2009 – New entry, Kressling Gallery, Bratislava, SK
05.02.2009 – Contact, Contemporay Norwieg and Slovak Art, Oslo, Norway
05.02.2009 – Contact: Contemporay Norwieg and Slovak Art: Oslo
15.01.2009 – ENTROPA: Teamwork on the projects with David Černy, Brussels
05.12.2008 – Olejomaľba / Oil Painting, The Municipal Gallery Rimavská Sobota, SK
24.11.2008 – The language of homour, SOGA, Bratislava, SK
17.10.2008 – 1960 –> present time / slovak art + czech hosts, The City Gallery, Prague, CZ
03.10.2008 – BIG GRUPPEN HYBRID PAINTING SESSION, Prague, CZ
10.10.2008 – Jeune creation 08- Exposition internationale grande halle de la villette, Paris, F
14 08.2008 – CONTACT – Contemporary Norwegian and Slovak Art, Bratislava, SK
07.08.2008 – VIDEOART IS DEAD, Cell Gallery, Prague, CZ
06.07.2008 – IM HERZEN EUROPAS, Badhomburg, Germany
26.06.2008 – SOCHA A OBJEKT XIII., Bratislava, SK
19.06,2008 – Egoart, Case History,The Central Slovakian Gallery, Banska Bystrica, SK
04.06.2008 – INTRO 518 TEI 69 TEŽ TEI 180 BONUS Q TRACK!, Karlín studios, Prague, CZ
03.06.2008 – INTERNATIONAL TRIENNALE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, The National Gallery in Prague, Prague, CZ
17.05.2008 – Egoart, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, Vienna, AT, Bratislava, SK, Budapest, HUN
23.02.2008 – cesky videoart, po kunde ti upadne pero, aero cinema, Prague, CZ
19.02.2008 – Movement under Blava, site specific projekt: Bratislava
12.12.2007 – XYXX: Karlin studios, Prague, CZ
25.10.2007 – CZECHPOINT 2, Museum of Arts, Zilina, SK
03.10.2007 – Bio-power 2, C2C, Prague, CZ
20.09.2007 – S.O.S, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
19.09.2007 – A4 – Sonata egoisticka, Popshop performance: Bratislava
07.09.2007 – Jesť sa musí / You have to eat, The Nitra Gallery, Nitra, SK
14.08.2007 – Bio-power, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
27.05.2007 – PRAGUEBIENNALE 3, Prague, CZ
21.06.2007 – POHODA festival 2007
03.05.2007 – HDP, The City Gallery, Prague, CZ
26.02.2007 – ¼ MAGYAR, Liget gallery, Budapest, HUN
24.01.2007 – PitoreSKa Wannieck gallery, Brno, CZ
28.06.2007 – SOCHA A OBJEKT XII., Bratislava, SK
17.05.2007 – SKÚTER – prvé bienále sučastného slovenského umenia / 1st Biennial of contemporary Slovak art, Trnava, SK
08.08.2007 – Just between us, Karlín studios, Prague, CZ
08.02.2007 – Moc – Dominancia / Power – Domination, The Central Slovakian Gallery, Banská Bystrica, SK
11.01.2007 – Autovize, City Gallery Prague, Prague, CZ
06.12.2006 – Bazár, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
28.11.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – Chaplin resident fighter, FUTURA, Prague, CZ
22.11.2006 – Sell me buy me, Galerie u Dobrého pastýře, Brno, CZ
01.11.2006 – CZECHPOINT, NoD Gallery, Prague, CZ
29.10.2006 – Memory day, Slovak Art Forum, Bratislava, SK
20.10.2006 – Transfer – Muzej savremene umenosti Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia
21.09.2006 – autobiographies, Secession Haus, Vienna, AT
20.09.2006 – for some seeds the meal is the end of the journey, Tranzit, Bratislava, SK
16.09.2006 – AIR CRUISER, Dunaújvaros, HUN
17.08.2006 – Tent of contemporary art, Piestany, SK
28.06.2006 – AIR CRUISER, Ustí nad Labem, CZ
22.06.2006 – Cibulák – Divadelny festival: Pezinok
25.05.2006 – RUNAWAY, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
08.05.2006 – AIR CRUISER, Forumstatpark, Graz, AT
22.03.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – Ostblock, Wienstations, Vienna, AT
28.02.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – Open studio, MuseumsQuartier: Wien
10.02.2006 – Fifty-Fifty group – presentation, MuseumsQuartier: Wien
16.02.2006 – Office art, C2c Gallery, Prague, CZ
26.01.2006 – Chlap, hrdina, duch, stroj – Egoart, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
09.12.2005 – Bazár – Gallery Space: Bratislava.
09.12.2005 – Beauty free shop, Jungmannova str: Prague.
30.10.2005 – Sell me buy me, AVU Gallery: Prague.
29.09.2005 – Slovensky mýtus, Slovak National Gallery: Bratislava.
21.09.2005 – EGOART – 100 rokov reality,GMB City Gallery: Bratislava.
11.09.2005 – Market: Bratislava.
18.06.2005 – Hodokvas festival: Pezinok.
28.06.2005 – Beru si to osobne, Narrow Focus, Tranzit: Bratislava.
23.06.2005 – Vystava diplomovych prací, Veletržní palác, National Gallery: Prague.
23.06.2005 – Viktor Frešo kurátor: Žilina, Nitra, Trnava, Bratislava.
26.05.2005 – PRAGUEBIENNALE 2: Prague.
14.05.2005 – Blaspheme me – Utopiebaustelle Theaterplatz: Wiemar, Germany.
04.04.2005 – Konceptuální a intermediální tvorba: Prague.
01.04.2005 – Artist Bienale: Hong Kong.
21.03.2005 – Markéta Vanková: Prague.
09.12.2004 – Bazár, SPACE Gallery, Bratislava, SK
15.11.2004 – FOUR ROSES – Azorro group, Little Warshav, Kamera skura, Kunst-Fu, Bialystok, Poland.
09.10.2004 – BINDERFRESH – Autogramiáda, DK Vajnorská: Bratislava.
06.10.2004 – HOME PAGE – Daubner Gallery, Prague, CZ
01.10.2004 – Istroart, Medium Gallery, Bratislava, SK
14.09.2004 – BINDERFRESH – Erik Binder, Viktor Frešo, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SK
19.08.2004 – Hodokvas festival: Pezinok.
23.08.2004 – Workshop Kultur AXE: Gižycko, Poland.
11.06.2004 – XXX party, Nevertogether – Skrepl, Frešo, Mucska, Moyzes: Prague.
03.06.2004 – Error 1- Out of space, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
22.05.2004 – Otváranie cementárne: Banská Bystrica.
23.04.2004 – Ber si to osobne / Take it personally, AM180, Prague, CZ
27.03.2004 – European media festival, Osnabrueck, Germany
20.03.2004 – New Media Art Festival, Bangkok, Thailand.
19.02.2004 – INTERNET FOR FREE – Egoart, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
03.06.2004 – Error 1- Out of space, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
23.04.2004 – Ber si to osobne / Take it personally, AM180, Prague, CZ
27.03.2004 – European media festival, Osnabrueck, Germany
20.03.2004 – New Media Art Festival, Bangkok, Thailand.
19.02.2004 – INTERNET FOR FREE – Egoart, HIT Gallery, Bratislava, SK
21.07.2003 – SCULPTURE GRANDE – Egoart: Prague
29.05.2003 – PRIVEĽA VÝNIMIEK – City Gallery: Žilina.
18.03.2003 – Vystava ateliéru Vladimíra Skrepla: Košice.
25.05.2003 – UNINISE – Mário Chromy, Viktor Frešo: Bratislava.
19.01.2003 – WORKSHOP – The school of the art institute of Chicago: Prague.
16.01.2003 – 281m2 – Václava Špála Gallery: Prague.
29.11.2002 – EGOART – V-klub, nám. SNP: Bratislava.
17.05.2002 – HEAVY METAL FOR SALE – Gallery Buryzon: Bratislava.
25.04.2002 – JOJO EFEKT: České Budejovice.
Awards and recognitions
Identification Code of Slovakia, Bratislava, SK
The Oskar Čepán Award finalist 2009, SK
