The Auntie of the world in CIVS

„Kovačica...picturesque municipality of Vojvodina, which was founded by Slovaks 213 years ago, has always had its metal-smiths. Those “have forged the iron while it was hot” and they knew how to not only discover but also to make their talents visible and spread the message about them into the whole world. The Kovačica's masters put the Slovak characteristics like diligence, peacefulness, respect for their own traditions and joy of life with their simple painterly language on the canvas. At first one than others and nowadays pleiad of painters who recur this idea.

Hamlet colored with bright and irradiating colors on her paintings was posted into the world by Zuzana Chalupová. She was a simple woman, who painted with her heart and would now have been 90 years old. Therefore today we will call to remembrance what kind of an “auntie of the world” was she, and how did, the values that she declared, deeply tinged our Slovak community.”

These words were said on Saturday June 27th 2015 in the Cultural Institute of Vojvodina's Slovaks on the exhibition organized on the occasion of unlived 90th birthday of Zuzana Chalupová.

Many head man of Slovak institutions and guests payed tribute to this worldwide known naive art painter from Kovačica, who has made a better, more beautiful and more humane world on her paintings. Many guests made this evening especial and by visiting they wanted to become a part of the life painted on the works of Zuzana Chalupová, which show only tones of harmony and her optimistic vision of the present and future. 

The directress of the CIVS Milina Sklabinská has welcomed all present and she mentioned that this is one of the last activities in which she is involved from the position of the directress of this institution. Her cooperation with the CIVS or the Slovaks from Vojvodina is not ending, it is only beginning in a different way, from a new work place which will be in behalf of Slovaks from Vojvodina and all Slovaks living abroad.

Who was Zuzana Chalupová? The answer to this question was given by many. Among others a journalist Ján Špringeľ who said following:

Lev Nikolajevič Tolstoj have probably had psychic abilities when he boded the painting future with these words: „The art of the future is a folk art, art which everybody can perceive, understand and cultivate, which will be understandable, no matter the caste and nationality.“ It wasn't necessary to search through the earth to ascertain this fact. It was enough to visit Kovačica and the most famous Slovak woman in the world. More than three and a half decades Zuzana Chalupová has been a friend with brush and light, with palette and this planet. Over thirty years she presented her art around the world on solo exhibitions.

Holiday or no holiday this painter (former embroiderer) was busy. The cottage (slovak chalupa) of the painter Chalupová was daily filled with curious eyes and careful ears. The speaker was the host: that  auntie of the whole world was an unusually usual woman. Her destiny was without her own children. But here were many of them on her paintings. Her artistic and very sensitive soul has made up a girl named Katka. She is on every painting and she is similar to her mother Zuzana, she is good."

The guests present could learn more informations about Zuzana's life and work from the words of Mária Raspírová the directress of the Naive art Gallery. Few words were said also by an art critique Vladimír Valentík and an expert of the Balkanologic Institute and a great specialist in minority cultures in Serbia Biljana Sikimić.

The evening was enchanted by musicians from Kovačica who have proved that not only the naive art is alive in this Slovak environment. The folk orchestra Rosička from Kovačica has played Slovak folk songs. Chidren from Kysáč, members of the Cultural information centre have contributed to this evening by their singing and the girl singing group SKC Pavla Jozefa Šafárika sung folk songs   originated in Kovačica. 

By the script of Miliina Sklabinská, the evening was moderated by Mária Turanská and Anna Margaréta Valentová. After the official part of the evening there was a cocktail, which was prepared by the Association of Slovak women from Kysáč.