Dominika Žažová
Having studied at the Secondary School of Ceramics in Ľubietová in the district of Banská Bystrica, Gustáv Virág of Slovenská Ľupča in the district of Banská Bystrica has worked with clay all his professional life. He follows the credo of his teacher, a ceramics master Emil Majnhold: being free when creating and having own way of working. Gustáv Virág is inspired by Ľubietová ceramics and its motifs that he preserves in his works as this type of ceramics is no longer produced. It is especially for keeping alive traditional pottery of the Ľubietová region that he was awarded, in 2016, the title of Master of Folk Art Production. He is making small bowls, plates, jugs and mugs. Master Virág is also interested in ceramics coming from archaeological excavations, especially so-called Slavic ceramics. In addition to this, he is an artist – his themes being human figures and masks representing human weaknesses – and paints in oils, too. It is also thanks to him that an interest, among the general public, in the pottery and ceramics-making tradition has recently increased.