Information
Artists
Iveta Bradáčová (CZ), Petr Brožka (CZ), Josef Lorenc (CZ), Sun Young Kang (USA), Daniel Szalai (SK), Petra Vichrová (CZ), Lenka Vilhelmová (CZ)
Curator
Zuzana Duchková (CZ)
Opening
Thursday, November 28, 2019 at 6.30pm
Duration
November 29, 2019 – January 26, 2020
Venue
Salon
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The exhibition titled Object: The New Existence is a collective effort of seven artists from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States. It is a follow-up to two previous exhibitions, White Laboratory (December 2016 at Olomouc City Gallery) and Beast on Sale (June 2018 at the Prácheň Museum Gallery in Písek). As the project encompasses artists of various ages who come from different countries and, most importantly, use diverse artistic approaches, it is able to offer a large number of styles that include two- and three-dimensional art, conceptual methods that adopt different techniques (printmaking, digital photography, drawing) and materials (porcelain, paper, wood).
As in the case of the previous projects, the artists share a general theme that focuses on the identity of the individual and their communication with themselves and their surroundings. The White Laboratory exhibition referred mostly to the theme of empty space and the potential of filling it, while the Beast on Sale exhibition focused on the relationship between the past, present and future and their mutual interactions in relation to the perception of the individual who moves within spacetime/timespace. The exhibition title quotes many ads that appeared in newspapers during various turning point time periods such as the years 1938/39, the post-war era or the “Golden Sixties” in the Czechoslovakia, etc. For the people who wrote the ads, the New Existence slogan represented their attempt to cope with the past that had influenced their present on such a large scale while also being an effort to take a sneak peak into the future they could both dream of and be afraid of it.
The exhibiting artists, Iveta Bradáčová, Petr Brožka, Sun Young Kang, Josef Lorenc, Daniel Szalai, Petra Vichrová and Lenka Vilhelmová, see the “new existence” theme as a challenge they all grasped in their own unique and sometimes very personal way.
Iveta Bradáčová (*1992, Třebíč)
graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Brno in painting at the studio of prof. MgA. Petr Kvíčala and then in the same major from the Academy of Arts, Architecutre and Design in Prague at the studio of doc. MgA. Jiří Černický. She represents the youngest generation of Czech artist and her work often focuses on interconnecting timelines from the past, present and future in relation to our collective memory. She selects stories and specific events and searches for their trustworthiness and relations to both the individual and the whole society.
Petr Brožka (*1974, České Budějovice)
graduated from the Secondary Art School of Bechyně, then from the Faculty of Fine Arts BUT from the Studio of Intermedia led by prof. Petr Kvíčala where he also gained his doctoral degree. His work focuses mostly on multimedia, photography and painting. Recently, his artworks have been presented at several important exhibitions of contemporary art.
Sun Young Kang (*1977, Ulsan, South Korea)
graduated in Korean painting from Ewha Woman´s University in Soul, South Korea and then in book arts from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Currently, she works as a conceptual artist who specialises in large-scale installations and very intimate art books where she reflects on her personal experiences. She has received numerous awards both at home and in the United States.
Josef Lorenc (*1958, České Budějovice)
graduated from the Secondary Art School of Bechyně, from the Faculty of Education in České Budějovice and he finished his doctoral studies at the Faculty of Art at Radom University (PL), under prof. Olszewski. He focuses mostly on used ceramics, architectural work, ceramic sculpture and relief, medal-making and the occasional glasswork.
Daniel Szalai (*1964, Komárno)
graduated from the School of Applied Arts in Bratislava and the Academy of Arts, Architecutre and Design in Prague in textile art under prof. Bohuslav Felcman. He became an associate professor at the Academy of Arts, Architecutre and Design in Prague. Besides teaching, he works with untraditional recycled materials, such as human body RTG frames, printmaking and textile design. His works are presented regularly at various important exhibitions both in Slovakia and abroad.
Petra Vichrová (*1978, Počátky)
graduated from the Faculty of Education at the University of Hradec Králové and in České Budějovice and then from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in classic painting techniques at the Studio of prof. Zdeněk Beran. Currently, she is completing her doctoral studies at the Masaryk University in Brno where she focuses on art studies of reality in contemporary art education. Her artworks often concentrate on themes like water, depth or water ripples which she incorporates realistically.
Lenka Vilhelmová (*1957, Prague)
graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague where she studied under prof. Ladislav Čepelák and from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava where she became an associate professor of free art and design. Her printmaking and painting styles combine classic approaches with non-traditional techniques. She likes experimenting and extending her artworks into the space. She has received numerous awards, most recently the Vladimír Boudník Award.
Zuzana Duchková (*1985, České Budějovice)
graduated from J. N. Neumann Episcopal Grammar School in České Budějovice, then from the Faculty of Art at the University of South Bohemia in České Budejovice in cultural history. She completed her doctoral studies at the Faculty of Humanities Charles University in general anthropology. She is interested in the history of contemporary art, primarily the first half of the 20th century and modern urban history (mostly Prague, Berlin and London). She is a curator of selected contemporary art exhibition projects.
