FAMILY Painting

ivan baláž kráľ (*1978) – writer, publicist, artist, designer and marketer. Representative and creator of Slovak literary and artistic AUTENTY. He was born on 3 August 1978 in Prešov, Slovakia as a descendant of the medieval noble family Balas de Villa Bala. ART In the field of fine arts he is dealing in figural painting (1997) and to a lesser degree also in clay sculpting (1996). As a representative of AUTENTA he continues in the work of Slovak MODERNA in a significant measure. His scientific vision was influenced mostly by modernists (Mikuláš Galanda, Ľudovít Fulla, Koloman Sokol, Imrich Weiner-Kráľ, J. Teodor Tekel) but also by postmodernist Peter Baláž, cubistic concepts of Imrich Vysočan, French and Czech cubism (Georges Braque, Emil Filla …). As far as techniques are concerned he mostly draws using chalcoal, tint, acrylic and gouache and their combinations. He is focusing on the mankind and its life. He points to the inner fight in simple, often strongly abstract figural composition. DESIGN After his high school studies (1996 with some breaks) Ivan Baláž Kráľ continues his family’s tradition concerning design. Long family tradition was begun by fashion designer and teacher Ondrej Baláž (1923-2004), who worked as the lead designer in family textile factory of his brother-in-law (LANA until 1948). He was a creator of various original designs and graphical patterns. After nationalizing the factory (1948) and "communist normalisation" in 50thies he must to worked as a foreman in OZKN, later in 60th (in Alexander Dubcek times) as a teacher in local high school of textile crafts. The family tradition in design continued with Jozef Baláž jr. (1949-2014). Slovak citizen, one of the first interior designers from former Czechoslovakia, working in Sweden. His works can be found in many hotels, foyeaux, social and other buildings in Slovakia, Czech Republic and Sweden. Last ancestors in his family tradition were painter Peter Baláž (1955-1983), graphic artist Jaroslav Baláž (*1956), architect Miroslav Macejko and art collector Milan Baláž. Ivan Baláž Kráľ continues in his family’s designing tradition and devotes himself mainly to apartment design. He creates applied interior design and interior accessories. He uses recycled wood mass and recycled parts of old furniture (revival design). He processes products of mass industry as well, transforming them into practical parts of neoindustrial households.