In Trenčín, a symbolic countdown has begun, marking the final weeks leading up to 2026, when the city will become the European Capital of Culture. On October 31 at 7:00 p.m., a unique installation – an interactive audiovisual artwork by architect Alan Prekop – will be ceremonially launched in M. R. Štefánik Park. The evening program, titled “Counting Down the Future,” will also include a discussion about the city’s transformation, an exhibition, and an audiovisual experience in the form of videomapping by artist Boris Vitázek, projected directly by the Váh River.
The Countdown as a Living Organism
The artwork, titled “Zero,” is not a typical monument. It is a vertical structure with interactive light and sound elements that sensitively respond to their surroundings while reflecting the city itself.
“The object breathes, blinks, and waits. The countdown is not merely a function, but a space where the present meets the future,” explains the author, architect Alan Prekop.
The visual language of the piece plays with the contrast between reflection and disappearance. Its mirror surfaces reflect the city and its details, yet from certain angles, the object visually merges with its surroundings. Its base is made of a concrete ring filled with soil and perennial plants – a gesture symbolizing that culture is not merely the city’s decoration but its foundation. The plants, which require time to take root, serve as a reminder that values nurtured through culture also mature gradually.
Technology in Symbiosis with Nature
The countdown structure consists of 24 LED panels displaying video footage of everyday moments in the city’s life – such as shop windows opening, boats moving on the Váh River, or bread being delivered. The video was created by Emma Lea Nikodýmová (camera), Adam Kubala (editing), and Juraj Marikovič (music).
The light elements are designed with regard to the biodiversity of the city park. The wavelength of light used is friendly to nocturnal insects, birds, and small animals, preserving the natural rhythm of the environment.
Visitors can interact with the object via a QR code, allowing them to adjust the light intensity. When the countdown reaches zero, the installation will not disappear; instead, it will take on a new role—welcoming visitors, providing information, and continuing to serve the city, not as a symbol of anticipation but as an active part of the cultural year 2026.
Transformations of the City through the Eyes of Artists and Experts
The event “Counting Down the Future” connects public space, art, and discussion. The program will start at 5:00 p.m. with a guided tour of the exhibition Enchanted Bratislava by artist Filip Bielek at the FOR MAAT Gallery. At 5:45 p.m., a discussion on urban transformations and opportunities will follow, featuring Omar Mirza (city curator), Renáta Kaščáková (co-author of the urban plan Trenčín si ty), and Katarína Onderková (architect, Spolka – sustainable city design). The discussion will be moderated by Stanislav Krajči, director of the Trenčín 2026 project.
“We want to open a public dialogue about how Trenčín is changing – how its spaces, identity, and cultural infrastructure evolve. The year 2026 will be the culmination of a long-term process, of which such public meetings are an essential part,” says Stanislav Krajči.
Videomapping on the Banks of the Váh
At 7:30 p.m., the program will move to the Boathouse near the Fiesta Bridge, where you can experience videomapping titled Trenčín dolinečka by multimedia artist Boris Vitázek, a native of Trenčín. It is a visual interpretation of a well-known folk song, presented in a gentle, poetic, and melancholic manner. Laser projection, floral motifs, and accompanying music will create a powerful atmosphere that can be enjoyed from multiple vantage points — from the bridge or below the boathouse.
“I was interested in how a traditional motif can be translated into an image that feels both personal and universally understandable. It’s not folklore in the traditional sense, but a memory — a quiet emotion we all carry within,” says Vitázek.
The Evening Culminates with the .DAT Festival
Starting at 8:30 p.m., the evening will continue with a ticketed event titled .DAT – Day of Audiovisual Creation, organized by the Cultural and Creative Center Hviezda. The headliner will be the band Berlin Manson, presenting the premiere of their unique audiovisual concept created especially for .DAT. The light design of the Hviezda venue will be crafted by Sedemminút, and the program will open with Boris Vitázek’s audiovisual performance Narrative Absence.
The unveiling of the countdown installation symbolically marks the final stage of preparations for 2026, when Trenčín will become the European Capital of Culture. The event “Counting Down the Future” connects art, architecture, public space, and community life, embodying the vision of culture as a transformative force that reshapes the city from within — gradually, respectfully, yet boldly.
