Viktor Šefčík and Ester: Florebit Sicut Lilium (Hosea 14:5)

An exhibition of the work of two artists (father and daughter) who draw inspiration from the morphological details of the world of plants. Large-format drawings, paintings and objects reflect upon the fascinating intricacy and elegance (and also the cruelty) of nature, a theme which is currently a key aspect of the creative processes of both artists. Part of the Couples cycle of exhibitions.

The Biblical verse “Florebit sicut lilium” is part of the Old Testament message about hope and rebirth. Within its original context, the line is a symbolic reference to the rebirth of nature and the Earth, a parallel which resonates with the more contemporary need for the renewal of the planet. Not only the ecological crisis but the loss of humanity and communication breakdown are part of our own Biblical impurity which we must amend. Like the Biblical lily, we too require pure water and fresh air if we are to protect our sustainable way of life. If we begin acting responsibly, we can still ensure that our Planet Earth can blossom like the lily. The lily is a metaphor for fragile beauty and purity, and the verse cited above suggests a spiritual and physical flowering and the return of values.

Viktor Šefčík draws inspiration from the morphological details of the plants among which he now lives – sunflowers, roses and lilies but also dry grasses, vines and corn. He observes and documents their everday existence, their passage from birth to death. The biological processes of nature hold a fascination for him, representing an endless natural cycle of renewal. He is an observer with an interest in unconventional cross-sections and details. He tries to observe the construction and form of plants to such a degree that he can draw generalizations from them. His work is, at the same time, an account of the artist’s immersion in himself, the connections between his mental and visual perceptions. This creative project is unique in the context of Slovak contemporary fine art, not only in terms of subject matter but also through the resulting depictive technique.

Who is Ester? Viktor Šefčík describes Ester as his finest work, a statement which stands as a beautiful declaration of emotion from father to daughter.We can perhaps see a visual metaphor for their lives in the small watercolour titled Magnolia from 2005, a work which depicts a fragile shoot blossoming from a sturdy root. Ester has spent much of her life in close proximity to her father. Life in his studio brought her a wide range of stimuli for her artistic education, allowing her to pick up visual impulses and dialogues in the creative process in an informal fashion. Overcoming the potential risk of epigonism, Ester has developed and established herself as an interesting and distinct personality. Her work shares a similar way of thinking with that of her father, but she has chosen her own artistic path in the form of sensitive organic sculptures.

At first glance, these abstract structures may seem like the antithesis of her father’s paintings, but they in fact complement his work perfectly. Renewal is a process which affects not only nature and humankind but also art. The exhibition of work by Viktor Šefčík and his daughter Ester invites us to embark upon a journey into introspection, to perceive the detailed documentation of living processes. We share the belief of the artists that their works can enable us too to become part of this transformation.
PhDr. Edita Vološčuková, PhD., exhibition curator

Author Profiles
Viktor Šefčík (*1960, Košice) studied from 1975 to 1979 at the School of Applied Arts in Košice and from 1983 to 1989 at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. During his studies he worked at the studio of Juraj Bartusz and Mária Bartuszová. In the 1980s he was involved in several informal art events and exhibitions including projects with the founding members of the East Slovak art collective C+S. In 1989 he was a cofounder of the Občianske Fórum Košice (later VPN). From 1989 to 1990 he served as the last head of the ZSVU, and he cofounded the Slovak Art Union and the Community of Restorers. He travelled and worked in Europe, the USA, Russia and Israel (in the 1990s). In 1997he took a 15 year long break from artistic activities, but he resumed his creative work intensively in 2015, exhibiting with the C+S collective and in other group exhibitions. His work is represented in the collections of the East Slovak Gallery, the Gallery of Spiš Artists and several private collections. He lives and works in the Hungarian village of Füzérradvány.

Ester Šefčíková-Zaňáková (*1999, Košice) studied under Mgr. art. Andrea Čepiššáková, Mgr. art. Marián Straka, akad. soch. Ján Borko, akad. mal. Zbyněk Prokop, and she is currently studying under akad. mal. Viktor Šefčík. She works in paintings, drawings and sculpture, creating organic objects and sculptures with biomorphic forms. In her studio at Strojárenská 3 in Košice, she led a ceramics atelier and a drawing/painting atelier for children and adults.