The summer months of 2025 brought to the Novohrad region the 37th edition of the International Ceramic Symposium Lučenec – Kalinovo, the oldest continuously running ceramic event in Slovakia. From July 7 to August 7, four talented artists from three countries gathered at the premises of Žiaromat a.s. in Kalinovo: French-Peruvian ceramist Sandra Suárez Chachapoyas, Polish ceramists Krzysztof Rozpondek and Łukasz Maciej Orfiniak, and Slovak ceramist Lucia Fabiánová.
During their month-long residency, they experimented with Kalinovo chamotte — a unique traditional material with exceptional refractory properties — and created directly within the industrial setting of the factory. This unusual combination of artistic creation with modern industrial production gave rise to original and unrepeatable works, which visitors could admire at the vernissage held on August 7, 2025, in the Calvinist church in Lučenec. The choice of this unconventional exhibition space highlighted the symposium’s uniqueness and innovative character, as the city’s galleries were undergoing reconstruction.
The symposium was further enriched by lectures and presentations given by the artists at the Novohrad Cultural Centre, offering the public an opportunity to gain deeper insight not only into the artworks themselves but also into the creative process and the artists’ approach to working with the material.
The event was organized by the Novohrad Museum and Gallery in cooperation with the Association of Slovak Ceramists and Žiaromat a.s. Kalinovo. Žiaromat, a subsidiary of Železiarne Podbrezová, is not only a producer of refractory materials with a rich tradition but also a place where creative minds from all over the world meet each year. The usual studios are replaced by the industrial environment of the factory, where simple chamotte is transformed into fascinating works of art. These are then fired in unique kilns and later displayed at exhibitions in the Novohrad Museum and Gallery in Lučenec.
This project represents an inspiring example of the connection between art and industry — traditional craftsmanship combined with modern technology — which together produce unique works of art and enrich the cultural scene of the Novohrad region.
Article written by:
Ivana Malčeková
Marketing Department
malcekova@zelpo.sk
