At the heart of Guardians of the Savory stood a replica of the gate of the former Salt Office in Halič, Slovakia—once part of the Austro-Hungarian salt monopoly. This installation brought together two distant landscapes, one defined by imperial salt distribution, the other shaped by modern climate change. Through the gate, the work explored salt as both a material and a language – an index of ecological shifts and a trace from the Earth. Created by Dávid Koronczi and guest artist Erik Pánči, the gate served as a symbolic threshold, connecting past and present, human and planetary time.
The work incorporated elements of time and space, with salt crystals shifting throughout the day, embodying the tensions between life and non-life. On the back of the gate, Pánči’s work engaged the concept of time as an oscillating force, bringing a philosophical dimension to the installation. The surrounding environment at De Zeekraal farm, an active space of labour and care, completed the work’s dialogue, emphasizing the interconnectedness of nature, agriculture, and human presence.
Additionally, a labyrinth made of plastic crates, echoing global capitalism’s footprint, invited reflection on trade, extraction, and the organisation of the world. At its centre, the gate stood as a liminal space for potential dialogue about care, adaptation, and the impossible acts of hospitality.
Tasting-Sound Walk
The accompanying programme included a performative care element by Celestína Minichová, who tended to and explored the work from 13–18 June. The programme also featured a Tasting-Sound Walk on 20 and 21 June, led by Dávid Koronczi and Erik Pánči. This sensory experience included tastings of archival vinegars, sea lavender kimchi, and traditional Hungarian lángoš, enriched by a live soundtrack of the koncovka, a Carpathian wind instrument.
Guardians of the Savory was commissioned by Oerol Festival as part of the Transitioning LANDscapes project and supported by the Creative Europe programme.