Michal Zahornacky

Michal Zahornacky is a Slovak visual artist and photographer based in Brno, Czech Republic.
He sees photography as a visual language—one that allows him to express a personal way of seeing, to explore new forms, and to develop an authorial approach rooted in precision, experimentation, and visual clarity.

His work often balances on the edge between reality and illusion.
He investigates how far a photographic image can be disrupted—optically, physically, or structurally—while remaining faithful to the medium itself, without relying on digital manipulation.
This approach is central to his series CURVES, in which portraits are physically distorted by the movement of water during the exposure. He is fascinated by the moment when the viewer begins to question whether they are still looking at a photograph.

His process combines detailed preparation with controlled unpredictability.
Some series are based on carefully planned visual sketches, while others rely on methods whose results cannot be fully foreseen.
What connects them is a search for authenticity and a deep respect for photography as a physical trace of reality.

Zahornacký’s work has been exhibited across Europe and Asia and has received recognition in several international p...

2025 – KARTOON – FOTOGRÁFICA BOGOTÁ, Centro Nacional de las Artes, Colombia

2025 – KARTOON – VNS Festival, Koridor, Považská Bystrica

2025 – CLOSE – Paradajs Photo Festival, Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia

2025 – CURVES – A4, Bratislava, Slovakia (Zine Launch)

2025 – CLOSE – Taizhou City Library, Taizhou, China

2025 – CLOSE – Taizhou University, Taizhou, China

2025 – CLOSE – Taizhou Contemporary Art Gallery, Taizhou, China

2024 CURVES, Koridor, Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia

2022 Spoust, Edel gallery, Krnov, Czechia

2022 Beijing Hanjian, project CLOSE, Beijing CHINA

2021 Yixian Photo Exhibition, project CLOSE, CHINA

2021 Lishui Photo Festival, project CLOSE, CHINA

2018 SOLO exhibition, Project Chymeros, Pov. Bystrica, Slovakia

2018 International Photo Expo, Ethereal, Paris, France

2018 Collective Exhibition APFSR, Tatranská galéria v Poprade, Slovakia

2017 Shanghai International Photographic Art Exhibition, Shanghai, China

2017 SOLO Exhibition, Poems Project, Kino Mier Považská Bystrica, Slovakia

2017 SOLO exhibition, Považská Knižnica, Slovakia

2016 11th Yixian Photo Festival, Yixian, China

2016 SOLO Exhibition, PRO.laika Gallery, Bratislava, Slovakia

2016 APFSR, Presov, Slovaki...