Svítok's Exhibition Shows Best of His 33,000 Photos Taken for TASR

Svítok's Exhibition Shows Best of His 33,000 Photos Taken for TASR

Bratislava, December 11 (TASR) – An exhibition of photographs taken by TASR’s Photo Desk head Michal Svítok entitled ‘My 15’, alluding to his 15-year career with TASR, has been open at the Slovak Press Photo Foundation in the Zichy Palace in Bratislava from this Thursday until January 20.

A selection of 33 photographs from politics, sports and other events shows US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, domestic politicians and notable Slovak athletes in moments of their life achievements, among other things.

According to curator Anton Szomolányi, Svítok is a photographer of story. “There’s nothing that would disturb us between captured reality and his photograph. The moment captured by him is a story that we’re able to imagine. His clean composition is presented by undisturbed dominant elements, even though Michal is a photographer of the moment,” said Szomolányi about his former student.

“For me, Michal Svítok is an excellent human being and a superb photographer. He’s from an agency that was the first partner of our Slovak Press Photo contest and so I’m the more pleased that now, after nine years, I’m having the opportunity to open Michal’s exhibition. He deserves it very much,” said Slovak Press Photo contest director Jana Garvoldtová at the ceremonial opening of the exhibition on Thursday, which took place online due to the existing anti-pandemic measures.

“It’s been 15 years this year since I began co-operating with the news agency, so I thought that it’d be appropriate to celebrate it in some way. This is how the exhibition came to life,” said Svítok.

When asked about the number of presented photographs, namely 33, Svítok said that it’s linked to the fact that TASR’s database contains almost 33,000 photos taken by him.
Svítok has organised several exhibitions of his work this year, including ‘Family Silver’ showing Slovakia’s highlights from a bird’s eye view in Banska Bystrica in the autumn, and an exhibition of key moments of Slovak sports at the street art gallery at the National Football Stadium.