Glocal Equality and Hospitality (Invalidated Ideas?)

Trenčín 2026–European Capital of Culture presents Glocal Equality and Hospitality (Invalidated Ideas?), a group exhibition at the newly renovated County House (Župný dom) in Trenčín, Slovakia. Bringing together internationally recognised artists and collectives, the exhibition reflects on urgent and interconnected 'glocal' challenges—from social and economic inequality to migration, ecological crisis, and rising geopolitical tensions. Through a range of site-specific works and commissioned projects, it proposes art as a space for critical reflection, solidarity, and alternative ways of understanding the present.

The exhibition evolved from the curators' project, Universal Hospitality (Vienna and Prague, 2015–16), which explored themes of nationalism and populism in the context of the refugee crisis. Over time, many other issues have come to light, making it increasingly difficult to identify a single pressing concern: the challenges facing contemporary societies are interconnected.

"The title’s use of the word ‘glocal’ reflects the exhibition’s attempt to connect global processes with their local forms and consequences. Equality is understood both in relation to individual lives and to relationships between countries, communities, and power structures. Hospitality, meanwhile, is expanded beyond human relations to encompass the way we treat other living beings and the environment. In this sense, the exhibition asks whether the ideals of the Enlightenment still provide a meaningful framework for understanding the world today, or whether we have entered a different and more uncertain era," said curators Edit András and Ilona Németh.

The exhibition brings together works by Marco Scotini (Italy), Kateryna Aliinyk (Ukraine), Anca Benera & Arnold Estefán (Romania/Austria), András Cséfalvay (Slovakia), Hito Steyerl (Germany), Ferenc Gróf & Zsófia Gyenes (France/Hungary), Sanja Iveković (Croatia), Szabolcs KissPál (Hungary), Zdena Kolečková (Czech Republic), Oliver Ressler (Austria), Emilia Rigová (Slovakia), Lucia Tkáčová (Slovakia), Martin Zetová (Czech Republic), Artur Żmijewski (Poland), Jaro Varga (Slovakia), as well as the Border Emergency Collective (Poland). Through installations, paintings, sculptures, videos, and textiles, the works bring global issues into focus through both macro and micro perspectives.

International artists who have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale are part of the exhibition, including Marco Scotini and his work Disobedience Archive, which was shown at the Venice Biennale in 2024, as well as Anca Benera and Arnold Estefán, who are represented in a solo exhibition in the Romanian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. One of Hito Steyerl’s newest works, a mesmerizing video installation, is also on display. 

At the heart of the exhibition lies Disobedience Archive, which provides a panoramic view of our turbulent times through the lens of social movements and collective action. Renowned international artists explore themes such as economic and social inequalities, gender imbalances, the oppression of minorities, and the escalating impact of the ecological crisis, inviting visitors to consider the complex challenges shaping the contemporary world. The global landscape is marked by heightened geopolitical tensions, wars, and expansionism, all of which are explored in the exhibition through the ways in which they shape local realities.

Other works also consider the impact of our technology-, social media-, and AI-driven environment, exploring how these factors shape our world and our relationship with technology. The exhibition also explores the origins of the present-day challenges through a journey back to the socialist era. Meanwhile, some works offer a glimpse into the future or propose alternative ideas for responding to complex issues facing societies from both global and local perspectives. These works invite reflection on solidarity, radical care and greater awareness of minorities and marginalized groups.

The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of events and performances. On November 11 at Cultural and Creative Centre Hviezda, German artist, filmmaker and theorist Hito Steyerl will discuss her artistic practice and present Mechanical Kurds, her work featured in the exhibition.

Global Equality and Hospitality is part of the programme European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026. Trenčín 2026 is financially supported by the City of Trenčín, the Trenčín Self-Governing Region, and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. The European Union is a partner of Trenčín 2026.

For press enquiries, please contact Florian Vanicatte at florian@sendreceive.eu and Tereza Fojtová at tereza.fojtova@trencin2026.eu.