Babka Gallery Kovacica
The private Babka Naive Arts Gallery was established in 1991 by dedicated founder and owner Mr Pavel Babka. Thanks to the Babka Gallery the art works of Kovacica were exhibited in numerous international exhibitions: EXPO 92. in Seville, EXPO 96. Lisbon, EXPO 2000. Hanover, EXPO 2006 Aichi – Japan, International Fund Washington, OEBS Wien, UNICEF Geneva, UNESCO Paris…. The Babka Gallery of Naive arts was exposed in Brussels, Strasbourg and Tokyo.
It took more than five decades of huge dedication and fruitful works of the Kovacica artisans to take colors from nature and traditional costumes and transfer them on canvases in order to present their past and present at the Home of Culture in Kovacica, describing the lifestyle in their communities, life of peasants, works in their fields and in their yards, …. The Babka Gallery of Naive arts in Kovacica was in 2001 officially announced by UNESCO as the Center for publishing of the Naive paintings. At the end of 2012 the Center for Intangible cultural heritage by the Ethnographic Museum Belgrade presented the National Register of 27 national assets of culture of Serbia, that deserve protection and their authenticity should be kept. On this list of cultural heritage there are some original customs, music and arts, among which its place has the Naive paintings of the Slovaks from Kovacica. Aim of the Babka Gallery is support of the young artisans and painters of Kovacica, as well as to raise attention to the other forms of the artistic crafts and skills in this Banat town.
Every year on February 21, the Babka Gallery organizes the event of the Day of the Native language. One of the aims of the Babka Gallery is adding the Naive arts of Kovacica to the UNESCO Heritage, that is the site of outstanding universal value. Also the foundation of the Babka Ethno Center was on the work and development agenda. In 2011 the Babka Gallery had presented the first Slovak Multimedia Encyclopedia of the Naive arts in Serbia, while in 2013 the printed catalogue with 63 Slovak Naive painters from Serbia was published.
The Babka Gallery successfully runs workshops of the Naive paintings, under supervision and assistance of the local Naive artisans. This kind of education is of the large importance for presentation and preservation of the arts of the Slovak population in Vojvodina, but especially is loved by the youngest visitors, who are always extremely fond of and enjoy in their creative works. The Babka Gallery of Naive arts is host to the young artists of the Naive paintings, as after the educational Naive painting workshop they enjoy in homemade sweets and refreshments. Visitors of the Babka Gallery can buy on spot various authentic souvenirs that are original art works of the Kovacica Naive painters.
When in Kovacica, we warmly recommend and gladly organize visit to the nearby Violin Manufacturer – the workshop of Mr Jan Nemcek who presents his skills in designing and manufacturing of violines and other music string instruments /acoustic guitars/.
