Červeňan’s participation is the fruit of cooperation between Skopje 2028 and Trenčín 2026. These two ECoC candidate cities signed a letter of intent this summer to cooperate , and the first visual arts cooperation was held as part of the 16th International Art Colony "Skopje 2021”.
Trenčín preselected two artists in an open call, from which the art colony jury in Skopje selected Matej Červeňan - whose ten-day stay whilst short in duration proved long in inspiration: he created five paintings, three of which were presented at the closing ceremony.
Červeňan represents the youngest generation of Slovak painters. He works in Bratislava and Trenčín, and studies at the capital city’s Academy of Fine Arts and Design. He mainly focuses on contemporary expressions in painting, with themes and final design aesthetic primarily drawing on the spontaneous selection and decision-making of the here and now. His enthusiasm and passion for spontaneous painting can even move him towards traditional approaches - so that raw materials and textures replace paints and colour.
Students and the younger generation are an integral part of the Trenčín 2026 programme. Červeňan’s previous school, Škola umeleckého priemyslu Trenčín (The Creative Industry School), will participate in creating the cultural programme in the event of our successful ECoC bid.
We also value collaborations and partnerships since they put Trenčín on the European map, and also make our citizens feel like true Europeans when we’re presenting EU and ECoC opportunities.
Other participants in the international art colony were: Marija Zdravković and Joskin Siljan from Belgrade/ Serbia, Mare Šuljak from Zagreb/ Croatia, Rajko Todorović Todor from Podgorica/ Montenegro, Ivana Nasteska, Tatjana Maneva, Fehim Husković and Trajče Blazevski from Skopje and Strahil Petrovski from Kumanovo/ N.Macedonia