SALÓNIK Information

Salónik – Cultural Refreshments is an initiative of Zuzana Duchová and Zuzana Ivašková under the Local Act initiative. The Presidential Waiting Room at the Central Railway Station in Bratislava is a natural highlight of the complicated train station complex, currently awaiting reconstruction. The waiting room was rebuilt in the 90ties and since then, has been used for only small number of public occasions. It is situated on platform one, with access to the street, which is now partially hidden behind the architecture of the new wing. The train station is a crossroad and a natural place of movement. On this heterogeneous intersection we would like to create a unique, temporary, cultural space with episodic artistic program aimed at the professional arts sector as well as the casual passers-by. Our initiative is inspired by the Latin colere, which means to cultivate, grow and live. We would also like to highlight the former symbolic meaning and status of the railway, which has now almoust vanished. There are several similar initiatives in Slovakia such as Stanica Žilina – Záriečie, Banská St a nica Contemporary (Banská Štiavnica) or Nástupište 1-12 (Topoľčany). Salónik (“Little Saloon” in Slovak) opened in September 2014. We see the potential for a living laboratory. New reconstruction of the train station is not counting on reconstruction of this waiting room. This hidden place is a “Cultural Brownfield” of Haydn’s and Temel’s theories around temporary use of city spaces.