Zdeno Kolesár
This young graduate (1966) entered the industrial design scene with Gringo, a children’s puzzle. In 1993 he received the main prize for it in the Good Design competition of the Slovak Design Centre, and it was subsequently mass produced in the years 1994 to 1997. Gringo further directed Uhrín’s focus: instead of using artificial things, adults (not only children) should play, improvise, think and create, make contact with nature through wood, come closer to the roots of cultural traditions. He used the experience he gained from the own creation while teaching at the School of Utilitarian Art in Kremnica, in the department of creating toys and decorative objects. The idea of creating “rattles for adults” was developed from acoustic toys for children. Between 1997 and 1998 a collection of approximately 30 wooden musical instruments was created. In the mid nineties, Tibor Uhrín started to devote his talents intensively to the creation of furniture. Along with wood, from the late nineties an important part of his creations is taken by metal. Stainless steel bowls and candleholders are again handmade works except for the initial cutting of the basic form by laser or water beam. In the latest period we can notice Tibor Uhrín’s strengthened interest in evaluating traditional production techniques. The committee evaluated his works as most valuable in both the years of the Rings in Water competition, focused on enforcing traditional craft in objects with contemporary design.