Patrik Kriššák

Patrik Kriššák (*1986, Kežmarok) lives and works in Prague. He studied at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica and at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Ostrava under the guidance of Daniel Balabán. In 2011, he was a finalist for the STRABAG Art Award and the Start Point Prize; in 2012, a finalist for the Critique's Award for Young Painting; and in 2019, a finalist for the VÚB Painting of the Year. He works in thematic cycles in which he systematically explores the relationship between man and the environment, nature, and a world shaped by technological and civilizational development, while responding to current ecological, social, and existential issues. Although his approach is critical, he communicates primarily visually—through direct painterly experience. A significant line of his work consists of paintings inspired by underwater worlds, especially the coral reef ecosystem. Despite their strong ecological subtext, they feel optimistic and visually compelling. Kriššák's painterly language is close to abstract stylization and gestural painting, balancing control with the principles of chance. A characteristic feature of his work is his signature technique of applying paint directly from a glass container onto the canvas. This physical and time-consuming process emphasizes the materiality of the painting, the rhythm of layering, and the energy of the gesture. The result is paintings with striking colors and a rich surface structure that enhance the experience of the work and support the impression of an organic, constantly transforming visual environment.