OFF Bratislava
The 15th edition of the OFF Bratislava festival, entitled “Persona Incognita”, delves into the complexity of shrouded identities and hidden characters. It explores the themes of knowledge and self-discovery.
Since ancient times, man has longed to hold up a mirror to the images of his own self – the ego – and to hide his own identity. The mask, a phenomenon that crosses all cultures and the entire history of the human species, is a constant companion, regardless of time or geographical limitations.
The mask is created by the man-artist not only out of a desire to return to his original roots and myths, but also as a means of coming to terms with himself. The mask is a kind of sophisticated form of penetrating into the secrets of one’s own existence and reshaping its foundations and laws.
The OFF Bratislava Festival retains its uniqueness as a platform for new talents on the photographic scene. From the very beginning of its existence, this event has sought to create generous conditions for the promotion and support of emerging artists working in the field of photography and new media. The festival kicked off in 2010 and has dealt with a variety of social themes throughout its 15-year history. It has stimulated contemplation on, for example, the ideology of dogma, the mystery of birth, the revolutionary manifesto, the archive of the future, Generation Y, the power of migration, and the human impact on our planet’s ecosystem.
Throughout the duration, the festival will communicate content on its social media platforms capturing not only the main curatorial section of OFF Bratislava, but also the OFF Academy, OFF Libris and OFF Satellite sections.
The winners of the ON Award, the V4 Award and the Milota Havránková Foundation Award will be announced during the opening ceremony on Friday 8 November and the accompanying programme will continue throughout the festival.
The festival takes place in the legendary PRIOR department store building from the 1960s and 1970s. The architectural unity of the ensemble (OD Prior and Hotel Kyjev) was supported by the author with a uniform facing material – slabs of Spiš travertine and a uniform detail. The department store was opened on 20 November 1968. Currently, in addition to shops, the building houses a cultural centre, music clubs and pubs.
