Bajus to Share Experiences in Peru's Sacred Valley

The third and final spring presentation for the “Artists on the Road: Travel as Source of Inspiration” series features Jozef Bajus’ talk “Prayer for the Inca: Inspiration Found in Peru’s Sacred Valley.” The talk will be held on Tuesday, April 23, at 12:15 p.m. in Upton Hall 230.

In his presentation, Bajus, associate professor of art and design, will show images from his sabbatical residency at Arquetopia, located in Urubamba, Peru’s historically specific Sacred Valley. He found this place inspiring for his work as well as for establishing potential collaborations with other artists and writers in residence there.

“Beauty is everywhere, not just in nature,” Bajus said. “We just need to open our eyes and listen with our hearts.”

Frequently, Bajus transforms discarded detritus or industrial remnants into art. These same works call attention to environmental concerns. However, at Arquetopia, his interest in the environment turned to learning about natural dyes—how to harvest and extract dye materials from plants in order to naturally color various fabrics and yarns. 

Bajus is an award-winning, mixed-media artist. Originally from Slovakia, Bajus received his master of fine arts from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. He began his teaching career in 1990 during the Velvet Revolution.

He has held positions of visiting scholar, instructor, and coordinator at many colleges and programs in the United States and abroad, including Rhode Island School of Design, Slippery Rock University, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Kanazawa College, and Jiaxing University.

In 2002, he joined the Buffalo State faculty where he coordinates the fibers program within the Art and Design Department. His work is included in the collection of many museums and collections worldwide, including the Slovak National Gallery, the City Gallery of Bratislava, the Gregg Museum of Art and Design, the Racine Art Museum, the Moravian Art and Craft Museum, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

The “Artists on the Road” series is co-sponsored by the Art and Design Department and the Global Engagement Office. For more information, contact Carol Townsend, associate professor of art and design, at (716) 878-4986.

Pictured: Bajus at Machu Picchu.