Vernisáž | Andrej Dúbravský: Protest of a Dead Bee

Painter Andrej Dúbravský will present himself in Bratislava after five years with a new solo exhibition called Protest of a dead bee.
In times of turbulent social events, which have a heavy impact on many of us, the painter asks himself natural questions: What to do next? How to live normally?
Focusing attention on nature and sex in his case is not an escape, but a liberation. It draws energy from it in order to face the complexity and pressure of contemporary society.
Bees and their role in the ecosystem represent a constant, from the point of view of human and political events, almost "eternal", even if vulnerable. For the author, the bee is an object (not only) of painting interest, but also a symbol and a self-portrait.
Dúbravský discovered the dead bee in the title after returning to his home from a protest in Bratislava. The bee died because it flew onto the porch and became separated from its natural environment. Her fate raises thoughts about what is healthy for us, about the line between a safe home and harmful isolation. The tension between cosiness and claustrophobia will also be evoked by the exhibition architecture, on which the author collaborates with scenographer Juraj Kuchárek.
Dúbravský embarks on painting experiments that bring new image layers (metaphorical and literal). Vertical patterns appear in the paintings, evoking the author's bed linen or pajamas (perhaps a symbol of home, intimate space). The layering of structures and squiggles as well as pasty brushstrokes, which are applied especially to sensual pollinated flowers, is increasing. The theme of nature, insects and flowers is organically intertwined with animality, sexuality and even existential reflection on the meaning and temporality of human life.

Andrej Dúbravský (1987, Nové Zámky) is one of the most prominent personalities of the contemporary Slovak art scene. . In the years 2004 – 2008 he studied at the ŠÚV in the department of stone sculpture and in the years 2008 – 2014 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava. Dúbravský's works explore topics such as sexual identity, the relationship between man and nature, and environmental issues. Since 2009, he has been actively exhibiting not only in Slovakia, but also abroad. His works are represented in the collections of the Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava City Gallery and numerous private collections. He lives and works in Rastislavice in southwestern Slovakia and in New York.

Andrej Dúbravský: Protest of a Dead Bee
Curator: Alexandra Tamásová
Opening: October 23, 2024 at 6 p.m.
The exhibition will last until December 6

The exhibition program of the gallery in 2024 was supported from public funds by the Art Support Fund