I Love Light in All Its Meanings

Answers to questions from a Slovak medium, November 2025.

The company Decoled was founded by your husband, and you joined the business. How, and on what occasion, did your husband come up with the idea of starting precisely this kind of business?

In the 1990s, as part of our cultural activities, we organised exhibitions together, and at that time we received an offer to represent a European company specialising in light decoration.

You now run the company with your son. Entering the world of business must certainly have been a great challenge. What did you struggle with most?

I put off working full-time for a long time, because I loved my work, yet at the same time I was drawn to testing my abilities and creativity, and in business I saw a possibility – should it develop successfully – of later supporting civil society.

Where can we see the results of your work? Is it only Christmas or winter decoration, or can one say that people like to use lights all year round?

Naturally, darkness is somewhat a condition of perceiving light, but we also install seasonal decoration. Today we have also shifted the timing of our light exhibition installations, as some are thematically timeless, such as Universe, Heart of Europe and so on. At present we are installing 22 light exhibitions in 11 European countries, some 65 shopping centres and hundreds of villages and towns, including Prague’s Old Town Square and the Prague fleet.

You are known for bringing elements of uniqueness and aesthetics into your works. Every piece is an original work. It is art. Doesn’t a “creative crisis” sometimes weigh on you? How do you fight it? Who is the first person you consult?

By disposition I rather alternate between activities in order to gain energy, but when you enjoy your work, there is no need even to rest from it. Of course, I notice that some days are more creative than others; paradoxically, when I have to deal with operational matters and am tired, I gladly escape to the more creative challenges. I test my ideas on those closest to me and, of course, with graphic designers and designers.

What do lights mean to you? From media interviews we know that for you it is not merely about light chains but about carefully considered light decorations and exhibitions of light installations that are meant to bring joy into people’s lives in the dark season.

I love light in all its meanings; it is a symbol of creation and, in the European tradition, a symbol of knowledge and moderation. At last I am coming a little closer to my dream that light should not only illuminate and enrich public space with stories, but also connect and unite. In other words, that in all its meanings it should unite, because I believe deeply that it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.

What delights you most? Is it the smiling faces of children, or when a person revisits the past at your exhibition and becomes a small child again?

The moments when I overhear those expressions of wonder and joy let me forget everything that is so immensely demanding. And then when, from the stage on Old Town Square, I see the phones held ready and, after a shared countdown, everything lights up. That mutual energy is truly unrepeatable.

Every light park and light exhibition is unique and made to measure for the given city. Budapest, for example, belonged to Sisi last year. On what basis do you choose the concept for a given city?

When I began, I started offering customers a concept, sometimes even slightly against economic advantage, because I cared about a successful decoration without it being costly. So respect for architecture and surroundings is one of the most important criteria for me.

What is it like at home? Is your house also regularly decorated with the latest pieces from the workshop, or do you have your favourite fixed stars of light?

I somewhat fulfil the well-known saying about the blacksmith’s mare, but in this respect I am rather more conservative, because Christmas is also a symbol of tradition and of return, and the most fashionable thing is beautiful decoration that evokes the desired atmosphere.

How does your son see it? Does he take it as a business, or does he also understand that his aim is above all to create an aesthetic work?

I think we both agree on the aim, but sometimes each of us speaks our own language. Recently, though, he pleasantly surprised me when he slightly adjusted his view and we came closer in our intention and in the way to achieve it.

The materials are purely ecological. A light exhibition is made of LED lighting. Don’t you encounter the view that a light park is light pollution? How do you respond to such claims?

There are various myths surrounding light pollution, but in cities, for example, shop windows, advertisements and so on shine all night, which is quite negligible compared with the limited operating time of our exhibitions. And then, public space is opened to further use, where we bring not only entertainment but also instruction. All the places where we have held exhibitions have increased their tourist appeal, even in summer; some visitors even learn about castles in connection with light. Naturally, support for local business grows too, but above all a certain social value. The exhibitions are also accompanied by interactive trails, so the benefits of a new use of public space can compensate for the short-term light load.