Info
The project Guardians of the savory is a reference and recreation to the gate of the former Salt Authority (1701-1835) in Halič (Lučenec district, south-central Slovakia), which was part of the Hungarian salt monopoly. Salt, a precious material protected three centuries ago, is now evidence of climate change and human impact on ecosystems. In the Netherlands, in Slovakia, and elsewhere. Dávid Koronczi collaborates with guest artists Erik Pánči and Celestína Minichová.
Increasing salinity of groundwater and farmland is a threat to communities, human and other-than-human. Two hundred years after the closure of the Salt Authority in Halič, in late global capitalism, salt, like almost everything, has become a cheap product, without origin, without story, without opinion. Higher salt levels in the soil can become a kind of language or sign—something the Earth is trying to tell us. It whispers warnings: about rising sea levels, disturbed ecosystems, and the delicate balance of life. But it might also be saying something deeper.
The project connects this idea to the artist’s homeland in the Novohrad region of southern Slovakia. The image of a gate or door becomes a symbol of a passage, a break in time. The search for ways to grow crops in salty soil turns into a conversation with the Earth itself, not just in places like Terschelling, but everywhere.
A part of the Guardians of the Savory experience is a tasting walk through the artwork, guided by the artists themselves. Dávid Koronczi will offer a selection of archival vinegars from his family orchard, kimchi made with foraged sea lavender, or lamsoor (Limonium vulgare) foraged during the residency on Terschelling, and his beloved homemade lángoš. Painter and experimental musician Erik Pánči will accompany the 40-minute guided tour with a live performance using layering and deconstructing sounds of the koncovka – a traditional shepherd’s flute from the Western Carpathians.
The tasting walks will take place on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 June at 17:30, due to the limited capacity you need to buy a ticket for these moments.
Visual arts can be visited daily from Saturday 14 June between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Accessibility info
The access route from the bicycle parking area is 200 meters through narrow passages in a shop and shed. An alternative route is available on request via toegankelijkheid@oerol.nl. There is no seating available.