New Interfaces 05/Martin Piaček – The Weight of a House
Martin Piaček will present the Freedom of Speech Memorial, which was built on the site of the home of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová. He created the Sloping Garden project in Veľká Mača in collaboration with architects Vít Halada and Benjamín Brádňanský. What made the site the scene of one of the greatest tragedies in modern Slovak history, and how did the memorial’s creators address this? The memorial will be unveiled on October 10, 2026.
- When: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
- Where: Medium Gallery
- Lecture series: New Interfaces 05
Martin Piaček is a visual artist and the head of Studio vvv at the Intermedia Department of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. Trained in sculpture, he works with a broad range of media and strategies, trying to reconsider the traditional sculptural techniques and materials. Although his long term interest lies in individual and collective memory, national heroes and myths, mostly from modern European history, his recent projects open towards a broader environmental focus. In addition to his art and teaching practices he is involved in many curatorial and organizational projects, providing expertise on public space and the politics of monuments. In addition to his own artistic work in the field of sculpture and video, he also organizes exhibitions, symposia and international projects. He has been working on the dramaturgy of the Soft Norm lecture series and most recently, the globally oriented LiquidDogmas project. He is a founding member of the civic association Public Pedestal, the exhibition format DiStO and the KU.BA platform.
The fifth edition of the “New Interfaces” lecture series focuses on the themes of home and the house—in a time of armed conflicts, when many people have lost their homes and are searching for new ones. What is “home,” and in what spaces does its function—associated with safety and acceptance—manifest itself? What becomes of “home” when there is no longer any life within it? What does “home” mean for artists and cultural workers who migrate for work, participate in residencies abroad, and, conversely, establish cultural centers in their hometowns? What were they like, and what became of the legendary buildings in Slovak towns and villages from the socialist era—the houses of culture? The lectures in the series “New Interfaces 05” also reflect the thematic thread of the Medium Gallery’s 2026 exhibition program, which centers on the search for and discovery of home and its fragments.
Supported using public funding by Slovak Arts Council.
