A Country steeped in the greens of the forests invites visitors to a space combining innovation and culture. The rectangular structure of Slovakia’s Pavilion, covered with wood and green, cleverly displays on one façade the profiled head of the Goddess Vesna, symbol of the energy of Spring. Outside, white Expressionist/Baroque heads by the artist F.X. Messerschmidt attract the attention of passers-by, and inside, Slovakia explores the concept of energy as a form of new life. The Pavilion is divided into three main sections, where visitors can respectively admire Slovak traditions, innovations in food-related technologies, and art as vital energy.
Energy from Tradition
The first displays in the Pavilion’s itinerary are devoted to aspects of traditional craftsmanship and folklore. The Musical Fujara Tree, a sculpture in metal and wood made up of flutes,
whistles and bells, focuses on one of the country’s typical popular musical instruments, the wooden Fujara flute, which since 2005 has been part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In this first area you can also admire a striking sculpture in metal consisting solely of rural work tools, while the key work is the egg: a symbol of new life, decorated with 400 different original images representing all the cities in Slovakia.
Energy from Innovation. Towards the future in a flying car, on display from September in the Pavilion
The second main area of the
Pavilion highlights a series of innovative projects or prototypes created by Slovakian start-ups or University departments. The main attraction is the
AeroMobil, the car which in a few minutes can be transformed into a flying vehicle, at the moment visible in video, but from September physically present in the Pavilion. The only functioning prototype of its kind in the world, this vehicle uses conventional petrol and performs like any other car. Other examples of innovation focus on intelligent hydroponic systems for domestic cultivations (
Croptech), energy drinks obtained by liquefying Spelt wheat to make a natural cereal drink (
Functional food) or plastic materials produced from 100% natural materials like maize and sugar beet (
Biodegradable bioplastic). Also on display, a 3D glasses system projecting images of Slovakian cities and landscapes.
Art as vital energy, with objects from 23 thousand years ago
A sculpture in the form of a table, laid with a plate, forks and tablecloth, is by Svetozar Ilavsky, and is intended to represent birth and act as a symbol for the section dedicated to works of art. The most prized exhibit in the Pavilion is a work created 23,000 years ago: the Moravany Venus consists of a woman’s body carved from the tusk of a mammoth, found in Slovakia roughly 100 years ago, and therefore a prehistoric artefact of deep significance for the country. The last area of the Pavilion also displays some of Slovakia’s typical cereals and tubers, and above all illustrates the concept of sharing: to improve the nutritional condition of children in developing countries, visitors are invited to contribute by buying a €2 coupon: the proceeds will feed a child in Southern Sudan.
