Angels & Demons – Visual Art Exhibition
Artist: Maroš Belavý
Location: Orava Ethnographic Park in Zubrzyca Górna (Orawski Park Etnograficzny w Zubrzycy Górnej)
Dates: August 1 – September 1, 2026
The "Angels & Demons" project is a profound introspective exploration of the relationship between an individual's inner world and the environment that surrounds and shapes them. The exhibition at the ethnographic museum visually and spatially develops the theme of return. For the artist, who left his home region of Orava and worked professionally in Krakow for 14 years, this northern Slovak location represents more than just a physical geographical entity. It becomes a space for a psychological and spiritual journey, a space for seeking and discovering one's own identity. The core of the exhibition is the concept of duality—the tension between light and shadow, and between the free human spirit and the forces of nature. The exhibition reflects internal thought processes and the realization of one's own identity during the years spent away from home. It raises existential questions: What do our roots mean to us? To what extent do they shape our worldview? And why does the inner desire to return home emerge? The "Angels & Demons" exhibition creates a space for universal viewer reflection. By exploring the "angels" and "demons"—which are a psychological part of every individual's personality—it opens a space to confront one's own inner conflicts and the endless cycle of loss and growth. The exhibition consists of the following sections:
Exterior Prologue and Entrance Object
The boundary between the outside world and the introspective space of the exhibition is defined by an object in the form of a wooden scarecrow, placed before the entrance to the log cabin. It functions as a symbolic guardian of the threshold and a visual anchor, preparing the viewer for the transition into the inner, subconscious space of the exhibition.
Part 1: Deconstruction of Identity (Photography Exhibition)
The first part of the exhibition features 18 large-format photographs. They function as fragments of a cohesive visual essay, connecting the artist's personal history with the natural and cultural heritage of the Orava region. The chosen black-and-white spectrum focuses attention on contrast. The photographs document an attempt to understand one's own evolution—the process of discovering what was lost through departure, while simultaneously accepting who the artist has become. Each image is a structural element of a puzzle, exploring how deeply the past permeates everyday life.
Part 2: Space, Time, and Transformation (Object and Video Projection)
The exhibition transitions seamlessly from photographs to an audiovisual and spatial installation, represented by a physical object named "The Portal". This is a traditional wooden trough integrated into a circular structure made of natural grasses, containing water. The water acts as a precise transformer. It forms an interface between the tangible, material world and the intangible, psychological plane. It functions as a medium through which a fluid transition from the deep unconscious to the subconscious and conscious mind takes place. The trough with water thus materializes the cognitive process in which suppressed thoughts and emotions rise to the surface and change their form. This earthy object communicates directly with the moving component of the installation—a film that is not projected onto a screen, but directly onto the raw walls of the log cabin. The image, fracturing across the wooden logs, anchors the digital medium in physical reality and amplifies the connection between the past and the present.
This exhibition was made possible thanks to the support of our partners: the Museum – Orava Ethnographic Park in Zubrzyca Górna and the Municipality of Bobrov.
