Martin Benka Price

The Martin Benka Price is awarded annually to honour work in the field of theory, criticism and history of Slovak fine arts.

It has been conferred annually since 1973 by the Council of the Visual Arts Fund, based on the advice of the Martin Benka Trust Committee at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (VŠVU) and Benka' s last will, in honour of the distinguished Slovak painter, graphic artist and illustrator Martin Benka (b 21 September 1888 Kiripolec, today's Kostolište – d 28 June 1971 Malacky). The prize is presented to significant Slovak artists, art theoreticians, and academy undergraduates: one prize for artistic work in the field of painting, sculpture and graphic art, one prize for work in the theory, criticism, and history of Slovak fine arts that will contribute to the development and promotion of Slovak fine arts, particularly with regard to the lifelong work and memory of Martin Benka, and two prizes to graduates (of VŠVU or other art schools). Professional organisations and individuals can submit nominations.

The 2008 Martin Benka Price was conferred on Rastislav Podoba (for his whole work); on Ľubomír Longauer (for his work of the theory, criticism and history of the Slovak fine arts, for the research of Martin Benka’s work and for the co-writing of the publication 'The first designer of the Slovak myth'); on Alžbeta Malcová (for her diploma thesis) and on Mária Vdovičíková (for her thesis with the topic Jakub Haško and the Early-Baroque design of the former prepositure in Nové Mesto nad Váhom).