AVU Summer 2024
As I do every year, I visited the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague to view the students' final projects from the past year. This year was surprisingly strong, and many works caught my attention. The following are selected pieces that impressed me the most.
Jakub Brázda, Matyáš Kořínek,
Emílie Fňukalová
I've often said that the installation of final projects shouldn't resemble a trade fair, where each artist has their own wall. Instead, students should endeavor to present their works in shared contexts, whether conceptual or visual. This approach was masterfully executed in this particular room, making it the standout of the entire Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. The three artists displayed an exceptional sensitivity to both material and aesthetics. Their installation, as it stands, would be a worthy addition to my own gallery, and I am seriously considering future collaborations with them. Bravo on a job well done!
Anna Krištofíková
Anna possesses an extraordinary talent, and it's thrilling to witness her garnering such recognition. The opportunity to study at The Cooper Union is a testament to her skill and dedication. The Cooper Union is renowned for its commitment to excellence, making her semester there a profoundly enriching experience. It'll be fascinating to observe how her time in New York influences her artistic vision and expression. Undoubtedly, I have much to look forward to, and it's no wonder I’m considering a trip to see her. The acclaim her self-portraits received at the HIDDEN Republic exhibition was no fluke—Anna undoubtedly has much to offer the world.
Lucie Hošková
Lucie fearlessly addresses themes that are considered taboo in mainstream society yet are fundamental to our civilized existence: corporeality, birth, and death. Her involvement in an SM project reveals her willingness to explore shared themes within unconventional contexts. Through her work, Lucie continually places our bodies at the forefront, facilitating a confrontation with our corporeal nature. Lucie works with water-based artistic materials, such as ink or acrylic. She also draws with coffee and natural substances.
Roman Košťál
Roman abandoned colors and placed his bets solely on line drawing. And I think it paid off for him. At the exhibition, the portrait of Jiří Kára undoubtedly stole the show, although this portrait holds deeper meaning for Roman, it will primarily resonate with the public through Jiří Kára. Another notable figure Roman depicted was the internationally acclaimed Czech actor and comedian, Vlasta Burian, from the 20th century. The distinctive actor is portrayed by Roman in situations that undoubtedly occurred in his life but remained hidden from the public eye. Love is the answer!
Alexandra Güner
Alexandra is not just an art student; she is also studying psychology. Unfortunately, next year she'll take a break from academy to complete her psychology studies. She delves into seemingly trivial yet vivid childhood memories, using unprimed linen canvas and felt needlework. Her creations often take the form of anthropomorphic figures reminiscent of dolls and plush toys.
Ekaterina Gordeladze
Ekaterina showed her three reliefs portraying pairs of human bodies, likely female. In her defense, she explained that her work primarily explores human relationships and intimacy, conveyed through bodily dialogues and touches between figures. Ekaterina chose fired ceramics and pigmented concrete as her materials, aiming to capture both the fragility and strength of these connections. The relief set in wooden frame, serving an aesthetic purpose without disrupting the artwork.
Anastasiia Lisnycha
The "Boundaries of Contemplation" series by Anastasiia explores humanity, our perception of the world, and the human urge to control all that is beautiful. The series depicts beauty that we're tempted to confine, yet without violating the laws of nature. As the artist wrote: Appreciate art, revel in its beauty, contemplate its essence, but let's refrain from curtailing the freedom of those around us. By the way, big thumbs up for the nice portfolio that I had the chance to browse during the exhibition.
Matěj Kučera
First-year student Matěj Kučera was brought to my attention by Lucie Hošková. Matěj is currently experimenting with new materials to find new forms of sculptural expression. Throughout the semester, Kučera has also been working on his sculpture sketchbooks, where he develops and refines his themes and ideas. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing his new works next year.
Maria Vasylieva
At the beginning of the school year, Marias's classmate discovered a dead, desiccated pigeon on the school's veranda. Upon close examination, Maria found larvae inside the pigeon - dermestid beetles. She then took them home and established her own colony. During the time Maria has had these beetles, she has witnessed their entire life cycle from larva to beetle.
Kateřina Šťastná
This sculpture by Kateřina Šťastná evoked a sense of meditation within me. Kateřina is exploring the theme of corporeality in relation to breath. She delves into how our breath interacts with and shapes the human body. Through her stylized figures, known as "breath forms," she captures the essence of breath in the context of this relationship. These figures are stripped down to their simplest and most primal forms, allowing her to focus on shape, movement, and subtle nuances.
Anežka Hubatková
From the artist Anežka Hubatková comes a piece of writing that accompanies the images...
Behind the scenes, we weave through the set pieces, and when we tilt our heads, we see the dark framework of ropes and wires in small windows, reaching far upwards like a nocturnal settlement. We pass heaps of colorful costumes, protruding from closets. "THE CURTAIN IS RISING!" echoes somewhere ahead, and the moment we step into the portal, the crimson curtain of flesh begins to slowly open until the first ray of golden light falls onto the stage space. A moment of breathless silence. In the forest, rabbits sit in white shirts, waiting for their cue. The performance begins.
Thinking ceases to be rational; the past merges with the present. Everything we've ever experienced is carried within us and now has a chance to awaken. Dramas, moments alive and fiery, tender and loving. We're in the forest one moment, now in a field; scenes change rapidly like in a circus.
"It's not that far from him either," I mutter. "Well, whenever we went somewhere with the performance, it looked like any other circus. It doesn't matter if you're from the National. It's all the same, set up in some tent or car, something beautifully golden and perfect is displayed. And then it moves on. I used to go to the Matejská fair often, when it was here at the Exhibition Grounds. It reminded me a lot of that, this principle. And now, I feel like it's suddenly a closed chapter. Just like many other things in my life."
I wouldn't want to disturb you with words and try to describe things that you might see before you perhaps more deeply, more intricately... Not all emotions have a term, but I believe they can be expressed visually.
The stage we gaze upon lights up in gold. It's familiar, it shows us the landscape of my childhood. A black fence, like a row of sentinels dividing the bare field, telephone poles line the road. Two black, leafless apple trees. The sound of brass instruments reaches us from the loudspeakers. There's a fair in the square, and when we stare into the distance towards the hills, perhaps we'll see that somewhere deep in the forests, there's still a fire burning.