''Meet Me in the Square of Freedom (2024-ongoing, Slovakia)'' - Michaela Nagyidaiová

''Meet Me in the Square of Freedom (2024-ongoing, Slovakia)''

Meet Me in the Square of Freedom is a multidisciplinary project that explores the socio-political situation in Central Europe, raising questions about the deﬁnition of freedom and the role of community. It focuses on a roller-skating club, where joint training has become a pretext for social gatherings and a form of political expression. Situated in Bratislava, Slovakia, the project investigates feminist resistance, grassroots activism, and community-building by focusing on a feminist roller-skating club that reclaims the public space of the city.

The Square of Freedom (Námestie Slobody) is one of Bratislava’s most emblematic civic spaces, carrying layers of historical, political, and cultural meaning. In medieval times, the area was covered with vineyards and ﬁelds. In the 17th century, the Summer Archbishop’s Palace was built here, which today houses the Slovak government. The surrounding green areas, known as Kniežacie or Fürstenallee (later Firšnál), became a place for strolling and leisure, marking one of the earliest urban green lungs of the city.

During the 20th century, the square became a stage for shifting regimes and ideologies. Under socialism, it was renamed Gottwaldovo námestie after the ﬁrst communist president of Czechoslovakia, Klement Gottwald. A monumental statue of him stood on the square, and in the late 1970s it was redesigned on a massive scale, intended for military parades, official celebrations, and displays of state power. At its center, the Družba Fountain was installed in 1980—its nine-meter-tall stainless steel linden ﬂower symbolizing Slavic unity and solidarity. The square was thus monumentalized, yet at the same time alienating: a space meant for control, surveillance, and orchestrated collectivity.

After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the statue of Gottwald was removed and the square was renamed Námestie Slobody (Freedom Square) a symbolic gesture of democratic transformation. Since then, the site has been reclaimed by protests, civic assemblies, and cultural events. It has hosted anti-fascist demonstrations, gatherings for LGBTQ+ rights, environmental rallies, and public vigils, continuing its legacy as a place where local people in Bratislava negotiate freedom in practice.

It is in this context that every Tuesday, the roller-skaters gather and transform the square into a living, performative space: from community trainings to easy practice with music or hanging out. The concrete surface once meant for military marches, is now used as a space for connection for local communities. They share skills, stories, and solidarity, turning a symbol of state authority into a commons for grassroots resistance. From anti-fascist rollerskate rides to DIY club nights and free skate lessons in urban environments, the project examines how community, mobility, and movement can foster resilience, empowerment, and deepen the connection between people and the urban space of Bratislava.

In the past, Slovaks have left their homeland in several waves due to the search for better economic conditions or political freedom under communism. Today, as Slovakia grapples with rising nationalism, anti-LGBTQI+ policies, and a brain drain of young citizens, 'Meet Me in the Square of Freedom' highlights those who choose to stay and resist.

By documenting and co-creating with the roller-skating club, the work foregrounds the feminist spatial politics and the transformative power of community-based art practices. It emphasises collective imagination, trans-generational memory, and the importance of alternative cultural infrastructures—demonstrating how even a square shaped by regimes of control can be reclaimed as a site of joy, care, and resistance.