The author finds interesting compositions and an opportunity for image creation in the everyday routine of household worries, satisfactions and child development. Without photographing the first steps, the first fallen out tooth or a birthday party, Sedlak creates an atlas of youth that her children allow her to access; they let her in to their “here and now”, into their unstoppable stream of experiences. Into the emotions that the author abstracts through composing them into medium long shots and shots underlooking or overlooking the subject with elements like water, sky and the safety of home. Through this she manages to immortalize the path to coexistence with the world, oneself and the ones closest to us with elements of childlike reliance and instant joy caused by new discoveries. The younger of the two brothers, Alan, accompanies the year older autistic brother Oliver in dynamically enveloping the thoughtful gentleness of Stella’s growing up.

And so, instead of creating a representative photo album for visits, Kata Sedlak captures the childhood  through intimate language of coexperiencing. Fascinated with the strength of family bonds, she documents particular moments which she layers on top of one another to create a fluid story whose versatility is highlighted by the “discoloration of reality” and its “black and white essence”. Sedlak needs only a few square meters to create a portrait of a childs’ soul, completely dedicated to the present moment.

With her selected works from 2013-2019, she introduces us to the fragile “Continent of Childhood” that silently sails in all of us still. According to her own words, the most important thing that a mother can pass on to her children is to love life.

Veronika Markovicova, curator

Kata Sedlak was born and raised in Piestany (Slovakia). After graduating from the Secondary Electrotechnical School she worked as a graphic designer. She fully immersed herself in photography after the birth of her first child. She says that she’s always been internally split between painting, photography and graphical design.

“I devote myself mostly to black and white photography, it’s the most telling for me. The feelings and emotions that the image stirs are not disturbed or influenced by their colour.”

2017 Between the two of us (together with Tomáš Dzik), Flatgallery, Bratiskava, SK

2016 100 %m², Central European House of Photography, Bratislava, SK

2015 Kata Sedlak, Carlton Gallery, Bratislava, SK

2014 Summer’s Story, Galerie Fontána, Piešťany, SK

2017, 2018 Marbella Art fair (represented by Kun Kelemen fine arts gallery), Marbella, ES

2017 Wien Art fair, Leopold Museum (represented by Kun Kelemen fine arts gallery), Vienna, AT

2016 Leica Meet Exhibition London, Leica Store Mayfair, London, UK

2016 Slovak Press Photo 2016, Klompching Gallery, NY, USA

2016 Journalistic photography, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SK

2015 Moments, Rimavska Sobota City Gallery, SK

2015 Slovak Press Photo 2015, Old Town Hall of the Bratislava City Museum, Bratislava, SK

2015 Slovak Press Photo 2015, Piešťany Library, Piestany, SK

2014-2017 Winter Selection, Flatgallery, Bratislava, SK

2014 Moments, The House of Photography, Liptovsky Mikulas, SK

2017 The Pulitzer Centre – National Geographic – finalist of the competition themed “Strong Woman”

2015 Slovak Press Photo – audience award in the “Everyday Life” category

2013 National Geographic – finalist of the competition themed “Family Portrait”

2018 Fotopondelok, Berlinka Coffee House, Slovakian National Gallery, Bratislava, SK

2016 FOTOEXPO 2016, Prague, CZ

2015 Voices, Bratislava, SK

2015 New Wave, Cesky Krumlov, CZ

2017 103 personalities of Czech photography

2016 Leica international photography 01/2016

2016 FotoVideo, 2/2016

2015 The Leica Meet 2015

2016 The Leica Meet Selection of Excellence 2015

2016 Mens Health 7-8/2016

2013, 2017 National Geographic

Private collections Prague, Vienna, London, Bratislava, Piestan

Veronika Markovicova studied Film and Theatre Studies at the Faculty of Arts of the Palacky University in Olomouc (2008) and Photography at the Department of Photography and New Media at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava (2014). During her studies, she interned at the Universities of St. Petersburg and Vienna as well as Prague’s FAMU. Apart from her own art work, she works as a curator, lecturer and translator. Together with Peter Marek she prepares and moderates “Fotopondelky” (“Photomondays”) in the premises of the Slovak National Gallery – an opportunity to meet photographers discussing their projects. She regularly collaborates with the Central European House of Photography in Bratislava, where she also lives.

www.veromar.sk