His name might not ring a bell, but you know the style better than you think: a bold black outline, a tricolour, and a punchline that stings. In Bratislava there is a seventeen-metre painting of angels on Mariánska Street by him, his most famous mural of all. And this is the person behind the strongest highlight when you are looking for the best events in Ostrava right now: the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava is hosting Matúš Maťátko's first solo exhibition in the Czech Republic. This one alone is worth heading into the city centre for, even for those who normally walk past galleries. You can easily visit next week; the specific date from the listing is Thursday, 16 July 2026.

Best events in Ostrava: the exhibition you did not expect

This exhibition is currently the best event in Ostrava for anyone who likes art with an opinion. It is called Bratříčku, drž sa! and you will find it at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava, on 16 July 2026.

Slovak artist Matúš Maťátko has been given his very first solo exhibition in the Czech Republic in Ostrava. The Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava presents a pictorial installation of iconic stories from Czech and Slovak history as interpreted by Slovak artist Matúš Maťátko; the exhibition Bratříčku, drž sa! was prepared by curator Vladimír Beskid. This is not just "some graphics on the walls" but a composed whole that you read like a comic-book chronicle of the twentieth century.

Take the event details from the listing: it takes place at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava and the date given is Thursday, 16 July 2026. The opening already took place earlier and the exhibition is on view throughout the summer, so 16 July is simply one of the quieter weekdays when you can visit without crowds. For the record: the opening was held on Tuesday, 23 June at 5 p.m. and the exhibition runs until 23 August.

Who is Matúš Maťátko and why his name is worth remembering

A Slovak graphic artist and illustrator with an instantly recognisable style rooted equally in linocut and street art. He illustrated Orwell's Animal Farm and paints giant murals from Bratislava to Jerusalem.

Let us start with what to expect from a creator whose editors nickname the "hooligan illustrator". The label, referring to a kind of gentle rowdiness, was earned by Maťátko through his work, with the bold black line he uses to pull stylised human and animal figures out of space. That style is his signature. You recognise it on a poster, on a book cover, and on the wall of a building.

The facts: Matúš Maťátko (1984, Bratislava) is a Slovak artist and educator who lives and works in Bratislava, and is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, from the studio of free graphics and illustration under Professor Dušan Kállay (2005 to 2011). That the publishing world trusts his craft is confirmed by a collection of awards. He is a multiple winner and finalist of the Most Beautiful Book of the Year prize.

More interesting than biographical data, however, is how far his work has travelled. The seventeen-metre mural Anjeli on Mariánska Street in Bratislava is his most famous, while Ruka mieru, his most recent large-format mural, was created together with Filip Sabol at the Mahane Yehuda market, the largest market in Jerusalem. And the reach is genuinely wide. He has exhibited in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Israel, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Japan, China, and Indonesia.

Where might you already have him at home without knowing it? Among his more commercial work he has designed bottles for Absolut, a series of paintings for McDonald's, and selected editions of Fusakle socks. His style grew organically, not out of marketing. He was inspired by linocut, comics, and street art, but it developed gradually. Hence that paradoxical ability to appeal to a child and a pensioner at the same time.

Bratříčku, drž sa! What you will see at the exhibition

Paintings, wooden reliefs, and prints from 2020 to 2026, assembled into one large pictorial chronicle of Czech and Slovak history. Also included is an "Ostrava" chapter drawn from the gallery's own collection.

The exhibition title is no accident and points to what the whole thing is about. The exhibition is dedicated above all to our shared Czech-Slovak history of two brotherly nations, hence Bratříčku, drž sa! Maťátko is not making decoration here but commentary. Through an engaging and provocative visual language he expresses a critical stance on urgent cultural and political questions from our history and the present day.

What exactly hangs on the walls? The exhibition will present a current collection of paintings, wooden reliefs, and prints by Matúš Maťátko from 2020 to 2026. The visual vocabulary stays true to his style. The author uses graphic stylisation with a bold outline and his artistic language is influenced by comics, street art, murals, and subcultures.

For Ostrava visitors there is an extra bonus you will not see anywhere else. The exhibition also includes a selection of works from the collections of the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava that correspond with the given theme and add a distinctive "Ostrava" chapter to the exhibition (Hvězdná budoucnost). The exhibition does not stand alone either. It is a loose continuation of exhibitions featuring the titular white-blue-red epic.

The curatorial framework shifts the whole thing from a "look at pictures" experience to a narrative. According to curator Vladimír Beskid, the exhibition is a pictorial installation of iconic stories from Czech and Slovak history, a kind of encyclopaedic picture gallery in which pivotal historical events and crisis moments of nation-building history are recorded, including through a distinctive Ostrava lesson drawn from the gallery's collections. Anyone who likes history told differently from a textbook will enjoy themselves here.

Why to go even if you normally walk past galleries

Because this is not a quiet, contemplative exhibition but a visual language close to comics and posters. It works at first glance, reads quickly, and leaves you thinking on the way home.

Many people avoid galleries because they associate them with slow, reverential silence and the feeling that "I won't understand it anyway". Maťátko's work is the exact opposite. With his critical stance on urgent cultural and political questions of history and the tragicomic present, he channels it all into an engaging and mildly provocative visual language. In other words: the image grabs you before you have time to read the label.

The second reason is purely practical. This is a premiere. It is the artist's first solo show in the Czech Republic, so whether you live in Poruba or are travelling from the surrounding area, this particular grouping of works is unlikely to be repeated elsewhere any time soon. And thirdly: Maťátko's work has humour. It is ironic, sharp, and funny at the same time - every subject has a skeleton in the cupboard and a punchline on the edge. Anyone expecting boredom will be wrong.

If you combine the exhibition with a walk through the city centre on the same trip, you have half a day's programme. And if you feel like more culture in the city, take a look at what is on at concert halls and clubs or what the theatre scene has to offer. Ostrava has more going on over the summer than it might seem.

Tips for the area: Opava and fine art within reach

If you are making the trip to the region anyway, on the same day you can visit nearby Opava for a meeting with artist Václav Šípoš, at two different venues.

The Ostrava region is not just the city itself. Just next door lies Opava, reachable by train or car, where you can combine two art stops in a single day. As it happens, the Opava programme dedicated to an artist shares the same date as the Maťátko exhibition: 16 July 2026.

There are two venues to choose from. The first is a Meeting with artist Václav Šípoš at the Church of St Václav in Opava, the second bears the same name and takes place at the Municipal House in Opava. Both events are scheduled for 16 July 2026, so they can be combined with a trip to see Maťátko. For a lover of visual art it is a logical double bill: Ostrava in the morning, Opava in the afternoon, or the other way around.

If you want to keep track of everything happening in the region and beyond, it is handy to keep our events calendar close at hand. You can easily find more names there by opening the artists overview and browsing who is appearing where in the coming days.

Practical information and how to plan your visit

Take the date and venue from the event listing; always check opening hours and admission prices on the gallery's official website. The exhibition is time-limited, so do not leave it too late before the end of August.

You have the basics: the exhibition Bratříčku, drž sa! takes place at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava and the date from the listing is 16 July 2026. Because it is a temporary exhibition with a set end date, plan sooner rather than later; summer goes fast and the closing date is 23 August.

Check opening hours, current admission prices, and any guided tours directly with the organiser, i.e. on the gallery's website. We list the date and venue, but we do not guarantee prices or entry times as these can change, so the gallery's official channels are always the most reliable source. If you are coming with children, Maťátko's style is accessible to them - his world works for young and old alike, as his illustrative work for younger audiences shows.

And if you want to make a cultural weekend of it, combine the exhibition with more events. In the concerts overview and in the calendar you will find what is on in Ostrava and the surrounding area, so one exhibition can easily turn into a full day out.

Frequently asked questions

When and where does the exhibition Bratříčku, drž sa! take place?

The exhibition is on at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava and our listing gives Thursday, 16 July 2026 as the date. The exhibition opened with a vernissage on 23 June and runs until 23 August, so it can be visited at any point during the summer.

Who is Matúš Maťátko?

He is a Slovak artist and educator born in 1984 in Bratislava, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design there. He is known for his recognisable style with a bold outline and is the author of numerous murals, including the seventeen-metre angels in Bratislava and the painting at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.

Is this his first exhibition in the Czech Republic?

Yes. In Ostrava this is Matúš Maťátko's very first solo exhibition in the Czech Republic, which is one of the main reasons it is worth making the trip.

What else can be done in the area on the same day?

In nearby Opava on 16 July 2026 there is a meeting with artist Václav Šípoš at two venues: the Church of St Václav and the Municipal House. Both can easily be combined with a visit to Ostrava in a single day trip.

How much does admission cost?

We do not list specific admission prices as they can change. The most reliable option is to check the current price list and opening hours directly on the official website of the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava.

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