Insita - Triennial of Untrained Art

The Insita Triennial is a selective international art exhibition, the only of its kind in the world, designed to present the authentic values of untrained artistic expression – naïve art, art brut and outsiders' art. An international jury evaluates works of these three categories and also selects the laureate of the Grand Prix Insita, which is awarded during this event.

The event’s history began in 1966 with the first year of the Triennial held at the National Centre of Culture, which showcased 600 works from 22 states of the world. Among the most interesting were the French, American and Polish expositions. On the occasion of the first international exhibition the first scientific symposium of its kind worldwide, was also held. In 1969 the 2nd Triennial took place at Bratislava Castle featuring work from 21 countries in Europe, Africa, North and South America. The 3rd Triennial of 1972, which took place in the National Centre of Culture, presented the work of Douanier Rousseau Laureate I Rabuzin from 1969. The awards for best national expositions went to Brazil, France and Poland, and the Douanier Rousseau Award went to P Halák from Prague. The 4th Triennial of 1994 was held on the occasion of the launch of the newly reconstructed Esterházy Palace by the Slovak National Gallery. The international exhibition presented authors from 20 countries and was held under the auspices of UNESCO. The next, 5th Triennial (1997), was extended to incorporate 'outsiders' art' (a term coined by R Cardinal to denote nonconformist art). No fewer than 13 countries and 22 world museums and galleries took part in the exhibition, which was held in the Slovak National Gallery (Water Barracks). The 6th Triennial (2000) presented 21 states; the exhibition was displayed on the premises of the Slovak National Gallery at Rázus Embankment. The exhibition of the 7th Triennial featured in excess of 400 works by 82 authors from 20 countries. The 8th Insita Triennial of 2007 was held from 24 June to 30 September 2007 in the Slovak National Gallery at Esterházy Palace, with one section of the exhibition located in the Podhradie Exhibition Pavilion Bratislava SNM at Žižkova 16 and a third section in the Gallery of Naive Art SNG in Pezinok. Around 300 works by 90 authors from 18 countries of the world were presented.