Martin Benka
Selected works of Martin Benka (1888–1971), a prominent painter of Slovak art modernity, can be seen on the exhibition dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of the artist, installed on the premises of the Slovak National Museum - Museum of History in Bratislava (September 2018 through December 2019) as a joint project with Slovak National Museum in Martin.
Martin Benka searched and painted the mountain regions of Slovakia, where he found the archaic world. He designed book illustrations, stamps, bookplates, sgraffito, banknotes, and last but not least, several font designs. The exhibition features many aspects of his personality and diverse creativity.
In August 1936, Benka painted in the Slovak village of Terchová surrounded by picturesque nature; the power of natural elements is rough for the human being, however, even dangerous. In the middle of the land, he captured people at work in a field whose fruits were their only livelihood. Above them, a monumental mountain landscape is dominating, simplified and painted as if by the touch of a painter’s brush, leaving on the canvas surfaces and spots of mostly earthy, but sometimes courageously combined color tones.
In 1937, this work went to the World Exhibition in Paris, where the artist received a diploma and a silver medal for enriching European fine art. A year later the painting represented Slovak art at the Slovak Art Show in New York.
P.S. If you're a fan of the mountain landscape, you will love these paintings from Wales!
- Zuzanna