Noví materialisti (New Materialists)
We invite you to the presentation of student projects, Design Forum 2026. The exhibition will present design works by students from four universities, curated by Maroš Schmidt. The exhibition New Materialists showcases the results of research into experimental and traditional materials by students.
- Pavilion M3, agrokomplex NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE, state enterprise, Nitra
- Duration: April 15–19, 2026
Student projects from AFAD:
- Adrián Mikloš: A čo si z cukru?
- Dominika Žáková: DESIGN WITH BIOCOLORANTS (material prototypes)
- Darina Mikušková: Happy Bench
- Tímea Kepová: Up and Down Collection
- Tomáš Luknár: Mushroom Collection
- Zdenka Manenová: Project
- Katarína Plačková: RECONNECTED
Supervised by:
- Assoc. Prof. Mgr. art. Sylvia Jokelová, Assoc. Prof. Dipl. Des. Zuzana Šebeková, ArtD., Assoc. Prof. Mgr. Miroslav Debnár, Assoc. Prof. Mgr. art. Marcel Benčík, ArtD.
Annotation
The exhibition New Materialists presents the results of research into experimental and traditional materials by students of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Technical University in Košice, the Technical University in Zvolen, and the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. The participation of students from universities across Slovakia promises original approaches to the use of materials in specific objects and elements of interior design that address the lifespan of products, material responsibility and ecology, health safety, new aesthetics, new functional properties, recycling, local production, and social impact.
Material is one of the defining attributes of the aesthetic and functional quality of products and accessories in interior design. The choice of an appropriate material can elevate a formal solution to a higher level, improve the qualitative properties of a product, or reduce its environmental burden. In design evaluation, material plays a decisive role, as it is often the carrier of the essential qualities of a work.
Two material libraries will also be presented as part of the exhibition.
The LOMA material library, established in 2019 at the Slovak Design Center within the Interreg programme – Design and Innovation, maps, researches, and makes accessible materials important for design practice. It includes traditional as well as innovative materials (metals, plastics, composites, biomaterials, bacterial cellulose, etc.). One of its latest additions is a new type of product from Slovnaft called Primolen RGF30-600 TST, successfully developed on the basis of polypropylene intended for 3D printing applications.
The textile material library collects samples of textile and hemp materials, as well as companies, organisations, and technologies, with detailed information and mutual links. It focuses on companies that research, cultivate, or produce sustainable textile materials, as well as organisations bringing together textile sectors. www.textilnakniznica.sk