Slovak artworks by blacksmiths are in demand even from Australia: The story of the family business inspires everyone

- The art forge UKOVMI creates out of love for art
- They create works for customers around the world

The history of blacksmithing in Kanaš began in 1998 when the Polohovci brothers founded the company UKOVMI. It was the father and uncle of Jonatán Poloha, who is now also a part of building the company. This unique family business is dedicated to artistic blacksmithing and sells its pieces even to distant foreign countries.

The Polohovci brothers grew up together in a village surrounded by nature, where they learned manual skills, hard work, and patience. “The idea of artistic blacksmithing came from my uncle after he saw how an old master worked with heated iron. We both liked that iron is one of the hardest materials, but when heated, it can be worked with just like clay,” describes Jonatán Poloha.

The family has never lacked imagination, creativity, or the desire to create something unusual. After the first attempts to forge something at home, the idea arose to establish their own artistic blacksmithing business. Today, it is a company whose products are sought after by customers from neighboring countries, but have also made their way to the USA and Australia.

“Where iron is your passion” – from this motto, one can tell that the extraordinary works are created mainly for the joy of art. The editorial team of Startitup asked them about their creative process, the specific challenges of artistic blacksmithing, and orders that, so to speak, “touched their hearts.”

What is the process of creating your products?
To begin creating, it is very important for us to know what the goal is. We’re not just talking about a specific utility object. “Custom-made” means not only understanding the environment in which the project will be placed but also understanding the customer. Their taste, feelings, and style.
It is necessary to create a communication environment that allows the client to give us insight into their dream ideas, from which we can then develop a proposal.

Throughout the creation process, the client can participate in the work, for example, by offering comments, requesting minor adjustments, or even engaging in symbolic manual participation. Since the product includes not only the forged aspect but also its high quality, another very important step in production is surface treatment. We use the latest technologies to ensure that the forged work can maintain its first-class appearance even after years.

What inspires the design and artistic elements of your works?
We are mostly inspired by nature, which can be seen in our works in the style of pine, oak, or vines. But the environment where the piece will be placed also frequently influences us.

What types of materials do you primarily work with?
We primarily work with iron, copper, stainless steel, and brass. We combine these materials with wood, glass, stone, or leather. We focus mainly on manual work. In processing the materials and manufacturing the product, we make an effort to preserve traditional manufacturing styles as much as possible, paying attention to every detail.

Are there specific challenges in the field of artistic blacksmithing?
Challenges are part of our everyday life, and this is also what makes our company unique and of high quality. We love to “play” with the laws of physics. One of the biggest challenges was, for example, a sundial that shows the summer time, winter time, and date.

It was one of our most technically demanding projects because even the smallest mistake could make the clock unable to perform its function. The ability to solve even the most complicated requests is what drives us forward.

How do you present and promote your art?
We use digital platforms, have our website and online shop, but our biggest advertisement is the satisfaction and recommendations of our customers.
We use the gifts that God has given us – creativity and the ability to solve even the most difficult technical problems, we emphasize quality, detail, and honesty. There are very few masters in this field, which is why customers often find us themselves.

Can you share an unforgettable story or feedback from a customer about a specific piece you made for them?
A very encouraging feedback came from Raymond Kopka, head of the private banking department at UnicreditBank:
“From the very beginning of our collaboration, I quickly realized that the order was not your top priority. In a short time, a natural symbiosis was created between the supplier and the client, characterized by mutual help and a positive exchange of opinions. It was only thanks to this that we achieved our common goal. I have come to realize that for you, long-term functionality, quality, and design are at the forefront.

That’s why whenever I need an exceptional forged accessory, I turn to UKOVMI. After the third order, I wanted to visit the company and see the production. I want to be surrounded by unique accessories and appreciate the added value of working with you – creating an accessory with your help is a pleasure. The distance between the production and the place of implementation doesn’t matter.

Even though more expensive orders aren’t completed right away, I can rely on the fact that your company will still be around in ten years. You create products that have soul and tradition. Working with iron is one of the oldest and most important crafts and thus deserves respect.”

What price range can a blacksmith’s artistic piece fall into?
If you visit our studio UKOVMI, you will find many larger and smaller hand-forged works of art. It is hard to say in what price range they might fall or which piece was the most expensive, as we have been working on various projects for 25 years. One of the largest projects was a terrace shelter for a mountain cabin.
Everything on it is handmade, right down to the smallest details. It is exceptional because it was created in the style of a pine tree. The posts resemble tree trunks from which branches covered in needles and pine cones grow.

Have customers ever ordered something “bizarre” or unusual from you?
I can’t say where the line between unusual and bizarre lies. All the artistic works we have created have a hidden story within them. For example, the Tree of Temptation with a golden apple and a snake tells the biblical story from the Garden of Eden.
Since my father passed away two years ago, his memorial became an artwork that reveals the deep story of his life, and anyone who knew him has the chance to find it there. The monument depicts an olive tree in the shape of a cross growing from a rock with the book of life.

Have you ever turned down an order?
Yes, we turned down an order due to the deadline when the customer was pushing very hard for a delivery date and we wouldn’t have been able to complete the order with the desired quality. But we’ve also had cases where we didn’t click with the client, and he refused to accept our conditions, and in such cases, we decided to walk away from the order.

Do you have clients abroad? Where is the farthest you have delivered a work?
Yes, over the years, the company has expanded its operations abroad. The Czech Republic is close to us not only in distance but also in language, and UKOVMI products travel there quite often.

However, gates, fences, railings, lighting, candle holders, and other accessories have also found their place in other European countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. They can also be found across the ocean in Australia and the USA.

Some products require assembly by UKOVMI experts on-site, while many are simply shipped by delivery service.

What are your future ambitions and upcoming projects?
Our biggest vision for the future is to further perfect our abilities. To get into the customer’s shoes and help them bring an idea they may not have fully defined yet into a tangible form, so that not only they, but also we, are pleasantly surprised.
As for new directions, we would love to focus even more on the production of designer furniture and lighting for interiors and exteriors.

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