The serigraphy from the cycle Malevičov hrob/Malevic´s grave belongs to the large open series of works with author´s reaction to the work of the Russian avant-garde artist, the founder of suprematism, Kazimir Malevič (1887-1935). His sources are the abstract paintings of this author with their basic geometric shapes – square, rectangle, circle, but also their intersections (motif of a cross). This topic appeared in Sikora´s artwork at the beginning of the 1990s and he has been working this way until present, while changing the artistic media from graphics, painting towards the object and installation. The cycle Malevičov hrob/Malevic´s grave was preceeded by the older cycle Hrob suprematistov/The grave of suprematists created in 1990-94 on the similar principle. The author´s interest in the Malevič´s personality culminated in the series of large scale objects and installations Hrob pre Maleviča/Malevic´s grave, Dlažba pre Maleviča/Pavement for Malevic a Väzenie pre Maleviča/Prison for Malevic (1997 – 2005), which he exhibited in 2006 at the retrospective exhibition Sám proti sebe/Self against self in Veľtržní palace in the National Gallery in Prague. Sikora intensively reflected not only Malevič´s artistic programme, but also the time and especially the political situation in which he lived. Through his artwork, Sikora held a personal discussion with him, although the fascination by this personality went through several phases, from adoration towards the critical disputation.
Rudolf Sikora belongs to the most significant representatives of the Slovak art in the second half of the 20thcentury. A special feature of his artwork is changing the different media from drawing, graphics, photography, painting, objects towards large scale installations and actions with the accentuation of the idea and reflecting the socio-political reality. The next important feature is the connection of science and art. He is fascinated by cosmos, interested in ecology, astronomy and mathematics.
Rudolf Sikora was born on April 17, 1946 in Žilina. In 1963-69 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava (prof. D. Milly (1963-65) and prof. P. Matejka (1965-69). He also studied scenography at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava at the same time (prof. L. Vychodil, 1963-65). In 1970 he organized in his place in Tehelná Str. in Bratislava 1. Otvorený atelier/1. Open studio, an event which became as a model one for the existence of artists in Slovakia, who were after the Prague Spring in the opposition against the return of the doctrines of the socialistic regime. These private exhibitions were usually accompanied by the spontaneous discussions, from which different group projects emerged (e.g.: Čas I. – IV./Time I. – IV.). In the revolution year of 1989 he actively participated in the political issues and was one of the founders of the Verejnosť proti násiliu/Public against violence. In 1990 he started teaching at the restored Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava where he led the Open studio. In 1992 he was titled Professor. Since 2003 he has been teaching at the Faculty of Arts at the Technical University in Košice. He participated in many important Slovak and international exhibitions, for example Fotografie der Gegenwart, Museum Ludwig, Cologne (1990); Slowakische Kunst Heute, Galerie Esslingen; Barcelona International Art Forum (BIAF), Barcelona (1990); Iná geometrie/Other geometry, Mánes, Praha; Kunst Europa, Kunstverein Braunschweig – Linden (1991); Apelación / Challenge, Expo 92, Sevilla (1992); Europa – Europa, Kunst und Austellungshalle Bonn (1994); Der Riss im Raum, Martin Gropius Bau, Berlín (1995); Aspekten – Positionen. 50 Jähre Kunst aus Mitteleuropa 1949–1999. Museum Moderner Kunst, Vienna (1999); Slovenská fotografia/Slovak photography 1925 – 2000, SNG, Bratislava (2002).
— Barbora Geržová
No.: G 1070
Artist: Rudolf Sikora
Title: From the cycle Malevic´s grave
Year of origin: 1994 – 2001
Technique: serigraphy
Material: paper
Dimensions: 100 × 70/62 × 62 cm
Signature: bottom left: E.A. z cyklu “Malevičov hrob”, bottom right: Rudolf Sikora 1994/2011