Csaba and Suzanne Kis Transform 1912 Samorin Synagogue into At Home Gallery and Artist Residency
In Samorin, Slovakia, just 20 minutes southeast of Bratislava, Csaba and Suzanne Kis founded the At Home Gallery within a synagogue built in 1912. Although they had no formal training in art, they revitalized the deteriorating structure, which had previously served as a warehouse during Communist times, after obtaining management rights in 1996. They initiated their exhibitions in their apartment in 1995 and transitioned to the synagogue in August 1996. The gallery now features an artist residency located in a former Jewish children's school, with Tibetan monks as the first residents who crafted a mandala, inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The couple receives funding from diverse sources and strives to create an inviting environment, with plans for a garden stage for concerts in the future.
Key facts
- At Home Gallery is located in a 1912 synagogue in Samorin, Slovakia.
- Csaba and Suzanne Kis founded the gallery without formal art training.
- The synagogue reopened in 1996 after being used as a warehouse under Communism.
- Csaba applied to the Centre of Jewish Religious Communities in Slovakia for management rights.
- The couple started exhibitions in their flat in 1995 before moving to the synagogue in August 1996.
- An artist residency operates in a reconstructed former Jewish children's school next door.
- Four Tibetan monks were the first residents, and the Dalai Lama planted a tree at the opening.
- Funding is from grants, foundations, private sponsors, and student projects, with minimal government support.
Entities
Artists
- Csaba Kis
- Suzanne Kis
- Marisa Prihodova
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Institutions
- At Home Gallery
- Centre of Jewish Religious Communities in Slovakia
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- Samorin
- Slovakia
- Bratislava
- Central Europe
- Eastern Europe