Zlín Youth Salon 2024, Triennale of contemporary art

18. September - 10. November 2024

Opening: 17th September 2024 at 5 pm

Duration of art exhibition: 18th September – 10th November 2024

Location: 1st floor of the building no. 14, 14|15 BATA INSTITUTE

Curators: Aleš Vrtal, Václav Mílek

The work of the younger generation of artists, often referred to as emerging artists, is even more intriguing, as it tends to be associated with the expectations of something new, fresh, or at least audacious and non-conformist. Therefore, it is also generally more tolerated, with gallery visitors often responding more benevolently. The desire to present something that transgresses the mainstream consensus and opinions on art was, to some extent, a driving force behind the establishment of the Zlín Youth Salon.

It showcases the works of Czech and Slovak artists and is usually held every three years. It is an integral part of the broader presentation of contemporary art at the Regional Gallery of Fine Arts in Zlín, continuing the tradition of the famous contemporary art exhibitions - the Zlín Salons and the Youth Exhibitions from 1936 to 1948 - organized by the Baťa company. 

The first Zlín Youth Salon took place in 1997 in response to criticism claiming that the 1996 New Zlín Salon predominantly featured established artists, both in terms of age and artistic approach. If the New Zlín Salon (an exhibition intended for middle-aged and older artists) intended to be, at least in the beginning, an objective cross-section of the visual art scene, the Youth Salon adopted much looser, or practically non-existent, selection criteria. Despite, or perhaps because of its more flexible approach, the Zlín Youth Salon continued in an unchanged format for six years, selecting artists based on the consensus and recommendations of the exhibition jury. The selection method, which lacks a clearly defined thematic key and is based on the overall evaluation of the artist’s work and especially on the consensus among the nominees – members of the jury, has been at times questioned by the organizers. Nevertheless, it has its merits, such as the lack of one-sidedness, and over time it has provided a unique account of the transformation of the entire art scene. For it is the youngest generation that is often most sensitive to changes in the artistic climate.
This year’s jury consists of Jana Babušiaková, Jakub Frank, Adam Galko, Zuzana Krišková, Lumír Nykl and Noemi Purkrábková. Based on their recommendations, 19 creative subjects, including single artists and artistic duos, were selected.

The exhibition is opened daily except for Monday from 10 am to 6 pm and will run until 10 November 2024.

The Zlín Youth Salon 2024 is held under the auspices of Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic Martin Baxa, Councillor for Culture and Education of the Zlín Region Zuzana Fišerová and Deputy Mayor of the City of Zlín Martina Hladíková.
The project has been realized with the financial support of the Czech Ministry of Culture, Zlín Region and the City of Zlín.