The tradition of fine artists – medal makers meetings in Kremnica originated in 1983. The first three annual symposia were attended by Slovak and Czech authors, and since 1988 the symposium has gained international character. It is organised every two years and attended by five medal makers from various countries, one of them being from Slovakia. The pleasant environment of Kremnica and the peaceful atmosphere of the house, in which the Angyal family – artists family from Kremnica – lived on the turn of 19th and 20th Century, stood at the beginnings of numerous meetings and the origin of new contacts. Symposia have become an unthinkable part of art life of Kremnica – the centre of Slovak minting and medal making.
The basic idea of the International Medal Symposium in Kremnica is to support the art of medal making. The Museum provides favourable conditions for the work of participating authors, thus contributing to the exchange of information and creative impulses at international level. The Symposium is an opportunity for medal makers from various countries to get to know the current and cultural events in Slovakia, to become acquainted with the rich history of the town of Kremnica and most of all with its medal-making tradition, closely related to the activity of the Kremnica Mint, functioning in the town for more than 680 years. At the same time, it also offers the possibility to become acquainted with the perspectives of further development of the art of medal making.
The symposium in Kremnica is unique when compared to other European events of similar character in enabling the authors to create their designs and consequently the realisation of a two-sided medal struck at the Kremnica Mint. Apart from this, the authors create designs of five cast medals during the four weeks spent in Kremnica which are brought to life mainly in the workshops of local casting masters. The highlight of the symposium is the ceremonial opening of the exhibition of medals, created during the symposium, in the exhibition rooms of the Museum of Coins and Medals.
Since 1983, more than 600 medals have been created during the symposia by almost 80 leading medal artists. The medals become a part of the medal collection of the museum and their selection can be seen in the numismatic and historical exposition titled Two Faces of Money – Money and Medal Making in the History of Slovakia at Štefánikovo námestie (Štefánik square) 10/19 in Kremnica.
15th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF MEDALS / KREMNICA / 2021
Date: 20 September – 17 October 2021