“My photos are minimalistic but also futuristic.”
—Maria SvarbovaIn 2020, Slovakian artist Maria Svarbova (b.1988) was invited by the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava to photograph the city’s historic Grössling City Bath, creating a series of enticing images that revitalise a space which has been closed to the public since 1994. The classical nature of this location, originally built in 1885, marks a stylistic departure from her previous aquatic-themed works, which are set against more modern backdrops. ‘I personally look for more modern architecture for my projects, mainly functionalism and brutalism,’ the artist notes. ‘Taking pictures in the Grössling bath was definitely a challenge for me, but after the tour I saw that the bath has great potential.’ In this vertically and horizontally symmetrical composition, the costumed figure has been meticulously duplicated under the imposing arches and the blue-tiled pool has been replaced with the reflected image. The resulting work, offered here, is mesmerising in its scale and flattened perspective.
The artist has received much critical acclaim, including the Hasselblad Master award in 2018, and Forbes Slovakia has featured her as one of 30 Under 30 in 2017 and on its cover in 2023. Svarbova has also exhibited internationally and her photographs of the Grössling City Bath reside in the Bratislava City Gallery, Slovakia.
Maria Svarbova on set, Grössling City Bath, Bratislava.
2020 Archival pigment print, mounted. Image: 150 x 120 cm (59 x 47 1/4 in.) Frame: 157 x 127 cm (61 3/4 x 50 in.) Signed, titled, dated and numbered 1/1 in ink on a Certificate of Authenticity accompanying the work.