Ladislav Guderna — Harvest

Ladislav Guderna (June 1, 1921 Nitra – October 6, 1999 Vancouver) is one of Slovakia’s key surrealist artists. He studied at the School of Applied Arts under prof. Ľ. Fulla. From 1938, he studied at Maximilián Schurmann’s private painting school which later became a part of Slovak Technical University in Bratislava where Guderna later studied under prof. J. Mudroch and M. Benka. In 1944, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade. He was very interested in the theory of painting, he cooperated with surrealistic poets (Avant-garde 38). Guderna’s cover designs and illustration were used in many of their anthologies. He was very interested in the relationship of the shape, content, form and expression. 

After WWII, he was one of the founding members of the 29th August Artists Group. In the 1960s, Guderna started shifting his focus more toward surrealism. His poetic compositions would incorporate different kinds of materials. In Prague, he became a member of Mánes. In 1946, he met his future partner Eva Pospíšilová. In this period, his works are dominated by heavy black lines, distinct shapes, gloomy colour schemes and expressive tones. In the 1950s, he focused mostly on subtle portraits, figural paintings and still lifes. Painting was an imagination of the metaphysical landscape/still life. In 1957, he became the chairman of the Union of Slovak Fine Artists. His works have received numerous awards (honorary mentions, medals, e.g. Stamp of the Year Award in 1965 and 1966).

After the 1968 occupation of Czechoslovakia, he emigrated to Canada in protest. Guderna also became a member of Canadian surrealistic groups like West Coast Surrealists and Melmoth Vancouver Group. He was always open to new directions and inspirations. Most of his focus was always on metaphorical imaginative positions. A specific feature of his work was his repeated returns to certain motifs and his ability to re-interpret them in a new way. While in emigration, together with his son Martin, they published various magazines: Scarabeus (1979 – 1998); Vancouver Surrealist Newsletter (1980 – 1981); Melmoth Vancouver (1981 – 1986).

Exhibition activities: His first exhibition was in 1941, together with J. Šturdík, R. Pribiš, V. Cmel and a year later with E. Semian and O. Dubay. His exhibition portfolio also includes many international participations, e.g. 1945 Czechoslovak Art in Paris, Manes Generation 1939 – 1947, Prague; 1948  XXIV. Venice Biennale; 1959 World EXPO ´58, Brussels; 1960 International Competition Exhibition, Guggenheim Museum, New York; 1967 Wall paintings for the Czechoslovak Pavilion EXPO ´67, Montreal; 1971 Surrealistic  Explorers (Arp, Chagall, Dali, Guderna, Haquand, Matta, Miro, Ortega), Toronto; 1981 XVI. Biennale Sao Paulo; 1983 I. International Mail Art Exhibition, Soul; 1990 ARTOPOLIS ´90, Vancouver; 1991 Europäische Dialoge. Bochum, Museum Bochum; 1992 Actual Exhibition, Paris; 1996 Book an Q. Fifty years of correlations, Brno and many others.