Sabina Jankovičová is a Slovak art historian. Her interests are mapping and popularising art from the period of normalisa- tion (following the crushing of the Prague Spring by Warsaw Pact forces) and works in the public space. She has published an inventory entitled Sculptural Works in Bratislava 1945– 2013 and contributed to the book Aliens and Herons: A Guide to Fine Art in the Public Space in the Era of Normalisation in Czechoslovakia (1968–1989). In recent years she has been mapping ceremonial halls in Slovakia, visiting more than 200 of them for her field research. Here we give you a glimpse of five of them.
A journey back in time
Open the door to the ceremonial hall of a small municipal office, and you will be transported half a century back in time. These ceremonial halls enjoyed unparalleled care under the previous regime: practically everything here would have been custom-designed, from the chairs and benches to the light fittings and details such as the door handles or the tray for wedding rings. Works by renowned artists and designers (Milan Dobeš, Jozef Jankovič or Anton Cepka) and artists in internal exile who avoided ideological work were commonplace. The ceremonial halls were supposed to be impressive and opulent so that they could compete with the interiors of churches, and the materials used were high-quality and luxurious.
ŠOPORŇA
The ceremonial hall in Šoporňa was built in 1976 by architects Rastislav Janák and Ivan Petelen. On the side wall there is a relief by the artist Štěpán Bobota. Thishall is brightly coloured, not the usual white or off-white. Highly unusually, even the carpet has been preserved. Carpets once gave ceremonial halls an air of luxury and cosiness. Today they are often the first things to be removed and replaced with floating floors, as a result of which the ornate interiors lose much of their original atmosphere.
The power of teamwork
“In terms of its quality and imaginativeness, the interior design of ceremonial halls is on a par with the design of magnificent interiors in hotels, cultural centres or embassies. In relatively small spaces, there was a high degree of collaboration between architect and artist right from the beginning, and the placement of the artwork is not just a formality. This makes ceremonial halls truly exceptional and original spaces. That said, many municipalities today are unaware that their buildings contain works of considerable cultural and financial value,” Sabina Jankovičová says. It really is very unfortunate when the original furnishings are replaced with mass-produced office furniture, and we can only hope that Sabina’s awareness-raising work will help preserve the fascinating atmosphere of these ceremonial halls.
Thanks to Sabina Jankovičová’s research and the Čierne diery citizens’ association, Slovakia’s exceptional ceremonial halls from the period of normalisation will soon be documented in book form; more at ciernediery.sk.
HRIŇOVÁ
The 1982 ceremonial hall in Hriňová has survived in almost its original state. It was designed by architect Helena Materáková, who worked with curves in the furniture design, including the details of the wall tiles. The shape of the seats is one exceptional feature. Originally, the entire hall was olive-coloured, but now the front wall is white. The carpet has been replaced, but thankfully not with a floating floor. The space is dominated by the tapestry on the side wall by Eva Fišerová, which has been professionally cleaned.
PODBREZOVÁ
Built in 1978, the ceremonial hall in Podbrezová was directly connected to the building’s vestibule and main staircase, which was not the norm. Today the room is separated from the vestibule by a wall to prevent other people from disturbing the ceremonies. Apart from the floor, the furnishings are in their original state. The artist responsible for the front wall is Stanislav Balko, whose work can also be found in the vestibule. The enamel painting is composed of layers of coloured structures, and the motif is a wedding inspired by folk ornaments.
PS: Check out the wedding of Martina and Gabriel in MILE 21, which took place in the building of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Rome. The building is the work of architects Ferdinand Milučký and Jozef Chovanec from 1967–1971. It is clad in Italian botticino limestone, which is hardy enough to withstand the Roman climate, while polished marble and exposed concrete are used in the interior. The Great Hall is dominated by a light sculpture by Jozef Vachálek inspired by folk straw ornaments.
LAZY POD MAKYTOU
The ceremonial hall in the small village of Lazy pod Makytou dates back to 1983 and was designed by architect Martin Galovský. Dominated by bright red leatherette, the space is remarkable for its unique layout, oriented to the side wall instead of the front. The bride and groom sit on a majestic throne, with enamel symbols by Milan Gašpar above their heads. They were visually connected to the ceremonial table by a red stripe on the ceiling. This element was destroyed by the insertion of plasterboard ceiling, thankfully the only modern intervention in this interior. A monumental work by Milan Gašpar is also on the side wall. The enamel painting in orange tones symbolically depicts the union of two people.
DUDINCE
The ceremonial hall in the spa village of Dudince dates back to the first half of the 1970s. The veneer wall panelling is original. The table of the solemnising official and the large-scale light object are very unusual for that time, as such distinctive lighting fixtures only appeared in the second half of the 1970s. The unusually shaped metal chairs were reupholstered. The spaceis dominated by a mosaic by Vincent Hložník from 1974. The hall’s well-preserved period atmosphere makes it exceptional.
Text: Hana Janišová, based on materials from Sabina Jankovičová | Photo: Sabina Jankovičová
