Visual arts traditions in Slovakia reach far into the past. In the course of centuries the visual expression of our ancestors was combined with the crafting excellence of artists from foreign countries. These traditions blossomed into the suggestive expression of the Gothic, the pompous magnificence of the Baroque, but mostly into the awakening national consciousness of the 19th century which was accompanied by an interest in Classicism, Romanticism, Historicism and Realism. The interwar period brought a great shift forward, paving the way for developments in the late 1960s when, thanks to some outstanding people, the visual arts in Slovakia reached a European standard.
When Slovak spirits were freed from barriers and the borders with Europe and the world were opened, there arose a great opportunity for Slovak visual artists, not only to receive motivation from outside, but also to present the values of Slovak visual arts abroad. The current picture of Slovak visual arts development is one of overlapping efforts by some generations and by numerous opinion orientations embracing the whole spectrum from classical tendencies to intermedia subjects and processes that make use of computers and video appliances. Visual happening is supported by various artistic and professional organisations, interest associations and state, regional, municipal and private galleries as well as other devoted individuals, artists and lovers of this form of artistic expression.