The exhibition Slovak Medal 2016 – 2020 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Association of Medalists of Slovakia, open to the public on 15 December 2020 – 5 February 2021 at the NBS – Museum of Coins and Medals in Kremnica presents the work of twenty-four members of the Association, two invited guests and three dead artists. It presents authors born between 1933 and 1985 and working mainly in Bratislava and Kremnica, but also in various regions of Slovakia. They are sculptors who deal with chamber sculpture, jewelry and design, professional creators of collector and commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of Slovakia, or experts from the Kremnica Mint. Their work is so creative that it incorporates current aspects of European and world medal production.

Many of the authors use their works to meet the criteria of a classical medal with its basic attributes, others bring works of an experimental nature, with unconventional technical procedures and materials, or moving the classical medal into the realm of small sculpture or miniature object.

The thematic inspiration of the current Slovak medal is equally extensive. In addition to occasional and jubilee, commemorating anniversaries or events, these are mainly societal themes, often with a timeless content emphasis, responding to serious environmental and human problems of the time and often moving from general anonymity to reflection of specific events that affected our country. Their opposites are literary, meditative or philosophical inspirations and inner emotional confessions, bringing a probe into the intimate spiritual world of contemporary man.

The artistic language of these works is closely connected with individual authorial styles and handwriting of individual creators. It ranges from elaborate figural compositions in which human stories are hidden through expressive gestures, as well as imaginative and fragile shape modeling to abstraction, geometry and minimalism.