Alexandra Kusá, the director of Slovakia’s National Gallery, was fired by the country’s culture ministry last month. The announcement came one day after she threw her support to Matej Drlička, the head of Slovakia’s National Theatre, who met the same fate.
While the ministry, which is controlled by a nationalist party in a left-right coalition under Prime Minister Robert Fico, has said it had good cause to fire the pair, government critics point to a bigger crackdown on the Slovakian cultural and media landscape, as well as increased political influence over the justice system.
Earlier this summer, Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, a former TV presenter who lost her job after making xenophobic comments, dissolved the public broadcaster, RTVS. She established a new institution, STVR, in its place. Media advocacy groups and EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova are among those who have said that the change will lead to more political control and harm media freedom. Additionally, Šimkovičová has ridiculed refugees and announced plans to cut funding for LGBTQ+ projects.
Elsewhere, the government has closed the special prosecutor’s office, which deals with high crimes and corruption. The move was met with public protest and warnings from the EU.
Domestic tensions are high since an assassination attempt seriously wounded Fico, a pro-Russian populist and an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He has blamed the opposition and “anti-government” media for the attack, though Slovakia’s interior ministry called the shooter a "lone wolf.”
The dismissal of two of the country’s major cultural figures came with little warning and justification. The Slovakian Spectator, an English-language magazine in Slovakia, has called the clampdown a “personnel purge.”
Kusá has worked for the National Gallery for 20 years, the last 14 of which at its helm. Petitions and protests followed her dismissal, including some 18,000 people taking to the streets on 12 August to demand Šimkovičová’s resignation. Kusá’s former staff released a statement in support of her while at least 360 international arts professionals and organisations signed an open letter calling for Kusá’s reinstatement.
Kusá spoke to The Parliament about her situation, even as she remains the gallery’s curator.
What is your current situation?
I am still an employee of the institution. We are preparing an exhibition, which should open on October 4th, about the architect of our building from the 70s and the story of the gallery. It’s a very important subject to me, so that's why I decided to stay and finish the exhibition.
Were you blindsided by the decision?
No. It was pretty obvious after the election that [we and the government] are not compatible when it comes to the ways we see the world. I thought this would come in autumn because they had already sent some auditors. But when I released a very strong support statement for Matej Drlička, I was sure that I would be next.
I really did what I thought was right. I am very, very happy I did it. I was afraid that I would not be courageous enough, but I didn't hesitate a minute. And I wrote it by myself, because I knew it's going to be my last one.
What is the motivation behind these dismissals?
Of course, the motivation is political because there are only made-up reasons. They don't like that we are a normal, free, transparent institution, an example of how things should be. In American movies it's called “irreconcilable differences.”
Is there a larger plan behind all this?
It's a larger plan of how to destroy the country. It's not that there is some sort of master plan behind it like in Hungary. They don’t have a plan; there is no step B. It’s like when kids destroy sandcastles. It’s a power demonstration.
What's strange about this situation is not the change of the director. In eastern Europe, when the government is changing everything is changing. But this is not just a change of cultural policy. This is pure destruction.
The new director has mentioned he wants to give our 13 million budget to hospitals and an orphanage instead. But there are also laws in place. I'm really curious how strong or weak the system is.
Would you say there is a culture war underway in Slovakia?
A culture war is if you replace something with your own narrative, but they are not doing that. They are only people of destruction. I don't know how this will end. This is not Game of Thrones. This is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
How are you fighting back?
I am defending myself in the media. I will answer and I will speak freely. Also, there are protests, which are not organised by political parties. The former director from the National Theatre and I have been together on stage there. But we don't want to interfere with politics because we don't want to be labeled as the opposition. We are people from culture.
We are also doing some small artistic actions. There’s a t-shirt, an independent website, an Instagram account and a Facebook page: “Free the Slovak National Gallery.” We also put big posters on our building dedicated to the anniversary of the Slovak national uprising, but they have a double meaning. We are also thinking about a strike. We are trying to keep it in a cheerful, happy atmosphere. Because, in fact, this is ugly. Everything is dirty.
What is the current atmosphere in the Slovakian cultural scene? Are people worried?
We are really living in a good part of history. As a historian, I was dealing with the 50s. I want to believe that this obstruction will lead to a brighter future. I still believe in the future. It's great that you can go out and demonstrate. I just want to express what I feel. And I am really very glad I can express it. And I can express it in a nice, polite way in a public space. I don’t know how resilient we are, but we are all trying together.
The solidarity is perfect. That was something that was needed. It’s not only the art scene. There are also bad things going on in health and education. You never know how this can end. Usually, in eastern European countries, it always started with culture.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.