Slovakia owes a debt to the sculptors whose works complemented the architecture of housing estates, schools, and hospitals. Hundreds of works of art were created as state commissions at the time of massive socialist construction. After the fall of the regime, they were left to decay and destruction without deeper reflection on the history of art. Juraj Gavula (1942) is one of the personalities whose contribution is only appreciated by the next generation. The new book is the result of research by the sculptor’s son and artist Matej Gavula in collaboration with art theorist Daniel Grun and other authors. It presents the sculptor’s work at symposiums and locations from Bratislava through Galanta to Svidník near his native village of Čabiny. These are works of organic abstract shapes that did not meet the political requirements of socialist realism, but complemented the surrounding environment.

Pages: 257

Print run: 1000

Dimensions: 21.7 × 29.7 × 2.7 cm

Texts: Vladimíra Büngerová, Lucia Gavulová, Matej Gavula, Daniel Grúň, Peter Medviď, Peter Szalay

Photographs: Leontína Berková, Juraj Gavula, Matej Gavula, Ján Kekeli, Peter Sit, Tatiana Takáčová

Translation into English: John Minahane

Book design: Aurélia Garová, Tereza Maco

The book’s publication was supported using public funds by the Slovak Arts Council in cooperation with the Čierne Diery Association and the Julius Koller Society.