Ignac Bizmayer (Slovak-English Book about the Slovak Ceramic Artist)

The publication about Slovak ceramic artist Ignac Bizmayer is divided into two main parts: text and reproductions. There are more than 150 reproductions, biographical data, photographs, list of exhibitions and expositions, list of reproductions. Text is both in English and Slovak languages.

Text is written by professor Ludovit Petransky, who is an expert on the modern Slovak painting art, and by Slovak ethnographer Marta Pastierikova.

About Ignac Bizmayer

Ignac Bizmayer (1922) is one of the authors who contribute to the progressive efforts of contemporary Slovak art - a proof that true, authentic folklore is alive and it is an organic and vibrant part of our culture. And here is rooted the originality of his own artistic program and its validity in reference to broader context and the objectives of entire Slovak art. The national artist

Ignac Bizmayer occupies a special and prominent place in modern Slovak visual arts. As an artist he has been able to consistently capture the fusion of new reality with the stimuli of a bottomless wellspring of the peculiar folk tradition. The primary force of his clay sculptures, reliefs or paintings draws on the language, philosophy, and humour of a commonplace man, responds to the milestones of our national history and todays life. He talks to us on a staff as pure as a folk song, through his work, enchanting in its Freshness and immediacy, yet sophisticated in concept, subtly ironical and gently lyrical.

Ludovit Petransky

About figurative sculpture executed in clay

The figurative sculpture executed in clay has had an interesting history in the territory of Slovakia. The sacral statues, as well as the small figures used as, toys prevailed. They were produced in the potterie typically producing functional, table wares. They were produced also in the jug-making regions which produced decorative faience, referred to also as majolica. This new type of the quality earthenware ceramic with tin-oxide and lead glaze and a specij decoration arrived in Slovakia together with Anabaptists, or re-baptizers, respectively. They for the specific religious and social community at the of Reformation in the territory of todays Switzerland. They migrated to other countries, and especially, to Austrian Tyrol, southern Germany, and northern Italy. They migrated to avoid religious persecution arrived in Slovakia from Moravia in several wave from 1550s on, and especially after 1620. In western Slovakia they found favourable living conditions, as well as the quality raw materials for production of faience. The local population began to call them Habans and the name was gradually used acros a larger territory to identify them. Their faience was produced for nobility and feudal landlords, whose patronage allowed them to settle in Slovakia. After abolishment of the common property in 1685, the started to assimilate with local population, and their faience gradually Slovakicised. In the course of the 18th century it embraced also figurative sculpture. Kosolna belonged to the well known Haban locations. Here was born a prominent Slovak ceramic artist and sculptor, and original visual artist, Ignac Bizmayer.

Marta Pastierikova