Hommage à Marián Varga
The unique artistic phenomenon continues to fascinate to this day
Marián Varga belonged to the most distinctive figures of the music scene and cultural life in Slovakia. He was a unique artist, composer, instrumentalist, bohemian and intellectual, whose life and work had an impact on thousands of lovers and fans of beat music across several generations in Czechia and Slovakia, as well as the rest of Central Europe.
His singular charisma, appearance and language, and in particular, his unique and inimitable way of playing keyboard instruments, featuring a special and unmistakable melodics, fascinated everyone who had an opportunity to see him at the hundreds of concerts, vernissages and social events at which he performed.
His name will remain primarily connected with the concerts of the band Collegium Musicum, numerous LPs and his cooperation with the most respected musicians, writers, poets, film makers, artists and others in the country of the past fifty years.
His music was of the best quality, the most sought after and admired work which Slovak music scene had to offer, and for which people of Slovakia are properly proud of today. His captivating music convinces that despite the conditions and technical constraints under which it was created, it was possible to work creatively, freely, boldly and timelessly.
His albums are jewels of Czecho-Slovak music compositions. Musically educated artists, who in the early 1960s with comparable professionalism continued in various musical styles of that period, remain a permanent inspiration and source of knowledge even for their much younger audience due to their highly professional attitude, and their approach to music, and its composing and interpreting.
Moreover, they were founders and leaders of musical and artistic genres, and Marián Varga was one of them. His music with Collegium Musicum became a unique example of Art Rock, whose style and character was presented worldwide.
Marián Varga’s personality attracted and, it’s safe to say, magnetized the multitudes of fans and admirers of his music. He was a unique personality and artistic phenomenon, a living legend, an individual who in the European area and under its local conditions comes along perhaps once in a hundred years.
Several lucky ones had even the opportunity to get to know him as a generous man, a well-read and educated intellectual who will always remain an example of personal bravery, dignity and courage to resist the influence of the regime and the requirements of the times.
A unique exhibition of photographs of Marián Varga in the representative spaces of Danubiana museum will feature the most artistic and journalistic photographs taken by more than seventy famous Czecho-Slovak photographers to allow thousands of visitors to look back on the life and work of this unique artist.
After its closing, Danubiana will offer the exhibition of photographs by 75 Czech and Slovak photographers to other museums and galleries for the further presentation and promotion of the work of an artist whose name will never be forgotten in Czechoslovak culture.
