galeria19_2012-katalog

7/29/2019 galeria19_2012-katalog

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Svetozr MydloEmke Vargov Mri

Ji ValochAdriena imotov Ivona ir

Ladislav NovkKlra Bokayov Martin

Milo KoreekVilm Reichmann Otis Lau


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Vron katalg 2012

vydala GALRIA 19 n.o., Bratislava 2013www.galeria 19.sk

translation Francisco Mejiaoto Peter Piovarcsy

oto Peter Anderovsk

Realizovan s fMinisterstva kult


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Prhovor kurtora k dramaturgii ronka 2012 6

19.01. 12.02.2012 Svetozr Mydlo Namydlen (b)lesk 8

16.02. 11.03.2012 Emke Vargov Poujem pada sneh... 12

15.03. 8.04.2012 Mria orejov EO INSTANTO 16

12.04. 6.05.2012 Ji Valoch 20

10.05. 17.06.2012 Adriena imotov my jsme ti, kter hledme 24

21.06. 15.07.2012 Ivona irkov Od detailu 28

16.08. 9.09.2012 Ladislav Novk 32

13.09. 7.10.2012 Klra Bokayov J eden z vs ma zrad a in prbehy 36

11.10. 4.11.2012 Martin Derner Miniatry 40

8.11. 30.11.2012 Milo Koreek a Vilm Reichmann

Dva otograov skupiny Ra 4410.12. 29.12.2012 Otis Laubert Zavraniny 48

14.12.2012 Christmas 52

Diela v katalgu 56

Sprievodn akcie 62

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Obsah Summary

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Curator speech to the 2012 dramaturgy

19.01. 12.02.2012 Svetozr Mydlo Greased Lightning

16.02. 11.03.2012 Emke Vargov I can hear the snow alling

15.03. 8.04.2012 Mria orejov EO INSTANTO (in this moment)

12.04. 6.05.2012 Ji Valoch

10 .0 5. 1 7.06.201 2 Adriena imotov W e re the Ones Were Look ing For

21.06. 15.07.2012 Ivona irkov In detail

16.08. 9.09.2012 Ladislav Novk

13.09. 7.10.2012 Klra Bokayov One o You Will Betray Me And Other S

11.10. 4.11.2012 Martin Derner Miniatures

8.11. 30.11.2012 Milo Koreek and Vilm Reichmann

Two photographers o the Group Ra10.12. 29.12.2012 Otis Laubert Conserves

14.12.2012 Christmas

Works in the catalogue

Events


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Galrii 19 sa podarilo poas jej trojronej existencie vytvori uniktne dielo, priestor, v ktoromsa stretva a konrontuje tvorba pikovch predstaviteov slovenskho a eskho vizulnehoumenia. Svojou ucelenou koncepciou a premyslenm programom si vybudovala poves kultr-

nej intitcie presahujcej teritorilne hranice. Prispeli k tomu nepsan pravidl, ktormi sa ga-lria riadi pri vbere autorov. Tm prvoradm kritriom bola a je kvalita ich tvorby. A e sa tovyplca, potvrdzuje uplynul vstavn sezna, ktor nm pripravila niekoko nevednch zit-kov. Ve nie je kadodennou udalosou vidie praliv, radiklne uvonen textov intalciuJiho Valocha, krehk pigmentov transery udskho tela Adrieny imotovej, prv kov prceexperimentlnej a vizulnej pozie Ladislava Novka, objavn okalky Jiho Koreka a imagi-natvne otografe Vilma Reichmanna. Vetko prce autorov, ktorch tvorba patr k zlatmuondu eskho vtvarnho umenia. Bytostne maliarske, hrav a nadasov prce SvetozraMydla, priestorov monochromn vyznania Emke Vargovej, novm spsobom vtvarnej arti-kulcie rieen tma Poslednej veere Klry Bokayovej a doslova gigantick tvordielny eposdoteraz nevystavench prc Otisa Lauberta boli kvalitou svojej tvorby rovnocennmi partnermivystavujcich eskch kolegov. Invenne ptav kresebn ierno-biele absurdn divadlo Mrieorejovej, umn prepjanie tlov a alie skmanie monost iluzvnej maby Ivony irkovej azrel tvorba pln paradoxov a hravej irnie Martina Dernera dokazuj opodstatnenos ich v-

beru do dramaturgickej vstavnej koncepcie galrie.Jednm z vrcholov vstavnho cyklu bola prezenzcia tvorby Ladislava Novka. Galria pred-stavila jeho prelomov prce z konca pdesiatych rokov, experimentlnu poziu a bsnickvizulne skladby, ktor mali zsadn vznam pre jeho aliu tvorbu. Vnimonos vstavypotvrdzovalo aj vydanie obsanho katalgu so skvelm tudijnm textom Jiho Valocha a re-citan veer experimentlnej a nickej pozie Ladislava Novka, ktor vborne interpretovaliBoidara Turzonovov a Lucia Hurajov.Sprievodnmi akciami galrie bol prezentan a recitan veer pozie Mily Haugovej a diskusnveer flozoa Egona Gla v spoluprci s asopisom Kritika a kontextna tmu Sila umenia. Aksumarizujeme vetky aktivity Galrie 19 za minul rok, meme pokojne kontatova, e galria,ako som u spomenul na zaiatku, svojm doterajm programom a jeho obsahom presiahla svojrozmer. Stva sa kultrnou intitciou, ktorej vznam, ak bude pokraova v nastpenej ceste,sa bude neustle zvyova.

Marian Meko, jn 2013

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Prhovor kurtora k dramaturgii ronka 2012 Curator speech to the 2012 dramaturgy

During the three years o its existence, Galria 19 has managed to create a uniquthe works o the top Slovak and Czech visual artists meet and conront each otheprehensive concept, the gallery has built up a reputation as a cultural institution

torial boundaries. The unwritten rules governing the selection o artists have alsto this. The primary criterium has always been the quality o their work. The oregseason confrmed that its worth it, preparing several unusual experiences or unot an everyday occurrence seeing Ji Valochs attractive, radically relaxed texAdriena imotovs ragile pigment transers o the human body, Ladislav Novks in experimental and visual poetry, Milo Koreeks revealing ocal work, and Vilmimaginative photographs. All these works are by artists included in the pantheoart. Svetozr Mydlos painterly, playul, and timeless works, Emke Vargovs spatmatic conessions, Klra Bokayovs Last Supper theme presenting a new wayculation, and the gigantic our-part epos o the yet to-be -exhibited works o Otiequal to their exhibiting Czech contemporaries in terms o quality. Mria orejocatchy, illustrative black-and-white absurd theatre, Ivona irkovs clever linkinurther exploration o illusive painting choices, and Martin Derners mature wordoxes and playul irony prove the validity o their selection in the gallerys dram

concept.One o the highlights o the exhibition cycle is the presentation o Ladislav Novgallery has presented his breakthrough works rom the end o the Fities, expvisual poetry that was crucial or his urther development. The exhibitions excealso confrmed by the release o a comprehensive catalogue with excellent stuValoch, and the recital evening o experimental and phonic poetry by Ladislav Novinterpreted by Boidara Turzonovov and Lucia Hurajov.Accompanying events in the gallery included a p resentation and recital eveningo Mila Haugovs book o poetry and philosopher Egon Gls discussion evening with the Kritika a Kontextmagazine on the topic: What do we need art or? I weGalria 19s activities in the last year, we can saely conclude that the gallery hasize with its program and content, as Ive mentioned at the beginning. Its becominstitution whose signifcance will constantly keep increasing i it continues on t

Marian Meko, June 2013


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Svetozr Mydlo sa narodil 10. jla 1948 v Ruomberku, kde priezvisko Mydlo dodnes zvu. Jehocesta k vtvarnmu umeniu bola priam vzorovo priama: najprv absolvoval Stredn kolu ume-leckho priemyslu v Bratislave (v rokoch 1963-67) a potom vytudoval Vysok kolu vtvarnch

umen, oddelenie vonej maby. tdium ukonil v roku 1973. Ete aj vojenina bola v slubchvtvarnho umenia bol lenom armdneho vtvarnho tdia, i ako sa tento tvoriv pobytv armde volal. Jeho pedaggmi boli okrem inch Dezider Milly a Peter Matejka, ktor svojhotudenta ignorovali rovnako, ako on ich. Od roku 1975 psobil ako vtvarn redaktor vo vyda-vatestve Mlad let. Venuje sa prevane ilustrcii a itkovej grafke, ktor zaha aj takkurizne oblasti, akmi s znmkov tvorba, typografck realizcia Joka Mrkviku, novoro-enky, pozvnky apod.Svetozr Mydlo je pracant, robotnk vtvarnej scny, pravda, ak pod tmto estnm oznaenmnemme na mysli morn drinu, rutinu, uahanos, ale rados z tvorby, permanentn svieos,pasiu z novch zadan i znalos remesla.V biografch slovenskch maliarov vdame opakujcu sa situciu: v p roduktvnom pracovnomase tvoria vek diela, nadrozmern obrazy, objekty, intalcie a ako bokovku sa z asu na aspodvolia vytvori oblku svojmu kolegovi litertovi alebo dovolia, aby sa ich diela pouili akoilustrcie ku knihe.Svetozr Mydlo je v tomto priam antipdom. Cel doteraj ivot zasvtil (a sa mi chce poveda:zasvietil) tvorbe s tmi najmenmi ambciami na nesmrtenos, umeniu do/asu, a po veerocha nociach, na konci dn a sl, maoval obrazy. Bez toho, aby ich od neho drankali zberatelia,aukn siene, galeristi a kurtori. Maoval obrazy, pretoe Mydlo je bytostn maliar a nemeinak.Pravda, s to podozriv arteakty. kla ich nmetov je priam poburujca: jnoci, mu -chotrvky, krivne, trpaslci, snehuliaci, mikimausovia... A to vetko v mixe poklesnutch sloven-skch nrodoveckch symbolov s poklesnutmi americkmi symbolmi. A to vetko zrealizovannetradinmi technikami, ktor sa globlne oznauj ako kombinovan technika (mlokto vnich identifkuje pouitie latexovho mlieka i chemlonovho vlkna).V jeho ateliri izbe bol vdy tak ruch, akoby mal pr hodn pred vernisou vstavy. A pritomregulrne vstavy, ktorm sa hovor aj retrospektvy, mal vlastne iba dve. Toto je t druh. Vdynahal as ale akmsi zzranm spsobom nikdy nedolo k tomu, e by as nahal jeho.as si naho pokal a vystavil mu certifkt rdzosti a pravosti. Nekalkuloval ani s bezasounesmrtenosou, ani nepodliehal doasnm mdikm, a preto je dnes rovnako aktulny ako

bude zajtra. Maliar Mydlo.

Daniel Hevier, janur 2012

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Svetozr Mydlo

Namydlen (b)lesk

od 19. janura do 12. ebrura 2012


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Svetozr Mydlo was born on July 10, 1948, in Ruomberok, where the surname Mydlo stillresounds. His journey towards fne art was practically exemplarily straight: frst he graduatedrom the Secondary School o Applied Arts in Bratislava (1963-67), and then studied at the Aca-

demy o Fine Arts, Freestyle Painting Department. He graduated in 1973. Even the militaryservice was connected to art he was a member o the military art studio, or however this crea-tive stay in the army was called. Among others, his teachers were Dezider Milly and Peter Ma-tejka, who were ignoring their student as much as he ignored them. Since 1975, hes beenworking as an art editor at publisher Mlad Let. He mostly works on illustrations and unctionalgraphics, including such curious areas like the creation o stamps, a typographical realizationo Joko Mrkvika, New Years cards, invitations, etc.Svetozr Mydlo is a hard worker, an art scene laborer, i we dont mean o course plodding drud-gery, routine, and shabbiness, but the joy o creation, perpetual reshness, a passion or newtasks, and a knowledge o crat.In the bibliographies o Slovak painters we can see a pattern:during productive working hours, they create great works o art, oversized paintings, objects,and installations, and as a hobby they sometimes agree to create an envelope or a literarycolleague, or allow to have their work used as b ook illustrations.Svetozr Mydlo is the complete opposite concerning this. He devoted his entire lie to workingwith the smallest ambitions or immortality, art till the end o time, and in the evenings and atnights, at the end o his days and strength, he was painting; without any collectors, auction hou-ses, gallerists, and curators asking something rom him. He paints because Mydlo is an artist bynature and he cant help it.Naturally, those are suspicious artiacts. The range o themes is outrageous: Jnok, toadstools,Kriv, dwarves, snowmen, Mickey Mouse And all this within a mix o subsumed nationalsymbols with subsumed American symbols, realized using unconventional techniques, globallyreerred to as a combined technique (only ew people would be able to identiy the usage olatex milk or wool fbers).In his studio, he was always in such a rush as i it were a couple o hours beore an exhibitionopening. Actually, he had only two regular exhibitions, both called retrospectives. This is thesecond one. Hes always been chasing time but due to some miracle, it never happened thattime chased him. Time always waited or him and issued a certifcate o authenticity and purity.He isnt playing with immortality, never subjected to temporary ashion, and thereore he is as

current now as hell be tomorrow. Painter Mydlo.

Daniel Hevier, January 2012

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Svetozr Mydlo

Greased Lightning

From January 19 to February 12, 2012


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Nie je to tak dvno, o som stretol na Koceovej ulici tu v Bratislave, kde sdli od nepamti VVU,Emke Vargov. Bytos, s ktorou som si okamite porozumel. Teraz sme sa tu stretli op. Zdsa, e porozumenie pretrvva. Skvel zitok, aspo pre ma.

Obdivuhodn sksenos Emke Vargovej z rznych mdi akoby vytvrala monosti tkajce sauchopenia vlastnch predstv. Tento prejav charakterizuje nieo ako vhad z okna, zachytva-jci priestor naplnen vetkm monm a po siluety predmetov jednotlivch vec tvoriacichzsadn obsah prelievajci sa do intmnej zdelitenosti istt. Neprispsobovanie sa vlastnmelaniam, alebo skr va nepatri k nieomu a mono aj nikam. Tu sa jej zretene vynraj mo-nosti, ako sa inak tla svojvone v krajine umenia a pritom sa zrove usilova, aby to tak nebolo.To vbec nie je jednoduch. Aj ke z asu na as ns rovnak argumenty privdzaj k presved-eniu, e to tak nemus by.Kad nov vstava ns privdza k monm novm rieeniam, napriek tomu, e to, o bolo do-siahnut, je platn stle a e to nie je a ani nebola strata asu. Naopak. Jednoducho prtomnosa as autora s nespochybniten.Text, rovnako ako obraz, je mdium. Prenosnos vznamu z jednho na druh je mon len tak,e sa vyhneme predsudkom (M. Petek). Svojm spsobom je to pasca. Ned sa toti jedno-znane nahrdza vznam jednho vznamom druhho. S to prosto rozdielne mdi a tedaide o in slovnk. Preto je dleit udra si ist nadhad. Nie vdy sa daj hranice prekraovaniem bene zauvanm. To vak neznamen, e bez prekroenia hranc sa takpovediac lepienezorientujeme. A mme tu ete aj telesn sksenos, ktor je dkazom, e z asu na as by smepri rekontrukcii vedomia mali na to pamta.Psobivos, ktor sa tu prezentuje, len zriedkakedy berie na vedomie toho, kto sa chce k nej pri-bli. Prostrednk je vdy v nevhode napriek vetkm priaznivm okolnostiam. Napriek tomuhranice nho poznania vymedzuje sksenos a t sa ned prekroi. To znamen, e hoci to ne-meme dokza, existuj indcie, nevyhnutn predpoklady, e to tak je. A asi na tom trebaneochvejne trva. Meme tomu len uveri a sn to aj objavi pomocou vlastnch volieba vlastnho konania.Obmedzil som poznanie, aby som tak urobil miesto pre vieru, hovor Kant. Autorita sa u ne-nachdza mimo ns, ale priamo v ns, v naom vntri.Emke Vargov m osobitn miesto v tomto mojom uvaovan u aj preto, e napriek racionl-nym mentlnym danostiam je jej schopnos empatie viditen. Neopakuje viditen, ale robviditenm (P. Klee). Je to tak spravodlivejie, o je, samozrejme, nieo in ako vhodnejie. Teda

nieo poznva a viac tvrdi. Zd sa mi, e tto poznvacia schopnos je u dospel. Svet umeniaje predsa svetom hodnt, alebo nie?

Marin Mudroch, ebrur 2012

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Emke Vargov

Poujem pada sneh...

od 16. ebrura do 11. marca 2012


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I can hear the snow alling...Its not so long ago that I met Emke Vargov on Koceov Street here in Bratislava, where theAcademy o Fine Arts has been ever since I remember. Shes a person who I immediately ound

common ground with. Then we met again. It seems that the understanding persists. Greatexperience, at least or me. It looks as i Emke Vargovs admirable experience rom variousmedia created opportunities or grasping her own ideas. This expression represents somethinglike the view rom a window, capturing a space ull o everything possible, all the way to thesilhouettes o individual objects, orming an essential content that changes into the intimatesharing o certainties. Not adapting to your own wishes, or rather the will not to belong to any-thing and perhaps anywhere. To arbitrarily roam in the country o art and at the same time striveor it not to be that way, are the possibilities clearly emerging here. Thats not easy at all.Although rom time to time, the same arguments bring us to the conclusion that it doesnt haveto be like that. Every new exhibition brings us new solutions, despite the act that what has beenachieved is always valid and its not and never was a waste o time. And the contrary is true.Simply the authors presence and participation are unquestionable.Text, similarly to a painting, is a medium. The portability o meaning rom one to another is onlypossible i we avoid prejudices (Miroslav Petek). Its a trap in some way. Meaning o one cantbe exactly replaced by the meaning o the other. Theyre simply dierent media and thus use adierent vocabulary. Thereore its important to maintain a certain detachment. The boundariescant always be crossed with something commonly recognized. But that doesnt mean thatwithout crossing the boundaries we wont be able to manage better. And theres also the phy-sical experience, the proo that we should remember it rom time to time, when reconstructingconsciousness. The presented impressiveness rarely takes note o who wants to come closer toit. The middle fnger always has a disadvantage, despite all the avorable circumstances.Nevertheless, the boundaries o our knowledge are defned by experience and cant beexceeded. It means that even though I cant prove it, there is evidence, a prerequisite that it isso. And maybe we should insist on it frmly. We can only believe it and perhaps discover itthrough our own decisions and actions. I l imited knowledge to make space or aith, said Kant.Authority is no longer outside o us, but right inside, within us.Emke Vargov has a special place in this thinking o mine, because despite a rational and men-tal prerequisite, her sense o empathy is visible. She doesnt repeat the visible, but makes thingsvisible (Paul Klee). Like this, its airer, which means, o course, something else than more con-

venient. To learn and claim more. It seems that this cognitive ability is already mature. Ater all,the world o art is the world o values, isnt it?

Marin Mudroch, February 2012

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Emke Vargov

I can hear the snow alling...

rom February 16 to March 11, 2012


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Absurdn divadlo, ktor nm vo svojich kresbch predstavuje Mria orejov, je pln trznivejhravosti i tajuplnej ironie, temnej vne i askzy, ierneho humoru i pevne vystavanch proti-kladov. Objavuje v sebe skryt rados z priamoiarej a dernej kresby, a tej sa naplno oddva.

Podstatn as svojej tvorby zaala vyjasova dslednou redukciou vtvarnho rukopisu a jehovrazovch postupov, pomocou ktorch skma a prehodnocuje obrazy vednosti. Men ichrazantnmi zsahmi na cel klu znepokojivch, sarkastickch vstupov, tylizanch varicia reexi. Pohybuje sa na zem, kde sa cti isto. Spjanie obrazovch ragmentov rozohrvapralivo neotrelm obrazovm jazykom, bez zbytonej uvravenosti. Tieto kresby, hoci kadije svojm vlastnm ivotom, nadvzuj na seba premyslene vrstvenm dejom. Ich odkazy ssiln samy osebe, aj v celku, s ironicky provokatvne, priahuj magnetizujcim obsahom, ne-kompromisnm zpasom iernej a bielej hmoty, dvoch naptch vzahov, o vymedzenie svojhoexistennho priestoru. Akkovek motv, ktor si v yberie a uklad do neoakvanch, absurd-nch pozci, prechdza touto skkou odolnosti. Je to drsav divadlo, ktorho obrazov naptiesa neraz stupuje do krajnosti, nem s nami zutovanie. Svojimi kresbami vchdza do sveta,ktor nem hranc, nem zaiatok ani koniec. Vstupuje na javisko, v ktorom zava vek, vzru-ujce a tajomn dobrodrustvo tvorby. Svojm vlastnm spsobom, svojou vlastnou l ogikouoddeuje to, o povauje za dleit od toho, o povauje za nevznamn. Tomuto svojmuimaginrnemu svetu vak v mene spravodlivosti nikdy nezabda nastavi sarkastick, niekedya krut zrkadlo. Mria orejov spolu so Sylviou Jokelovou, spoluautorkou tohto projektu, nspozvaj na toto nevedn predstavenie. Oplat sa p rs, je sa na o pozera.

Marian Meko, marec 2012

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Mria orejov

EO INSTANTO (v tomto momente)

od 15. marca do 8. aprla 2012


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Mria orejov

EO INSTANTO (in this moment)

rom March 15 to April 8, 2012

The Theatre o the Absurd, presented to us in drawings by Mria orejov, is ull o an agonizingplayulness and mysterious irony, a dark passion and asceticism, black humor and strictly-built

contradictions. She discovers hidden joy rom straightorward and striking artwork, ully devo-ting hersel to it. A substantial part o her work took shape through a consistent reduction oartistic handwriting and its exp ressive processes, through which she examines and reevaluateseveryday images. She changes them through vigorous interventions into the entire range odisturbing, sarcastic outputs, stylistic variations, and reections. Shes operating in the areawhere she eels secure, combining visual ragments with an attractively innovative visual lan-guage, without unnecessary garrulousness. Even though each o these drawings lives i ts ownlie, they interlock through a thoughtully layered storyline. Their messages are strong bothindividually and as a unit, ironically provocative, attracting with their magnifcent content, anuncompromising fght o a black and white substance to defne their existential space in theirstrained relation. Whichever theme she chooses and puts into unexpected, absurd positionsundergoes this test o resistance. Its a harrowing theatre whose visual tension oten escalatesto extremes without mercy. With her drawings she enters a world without boundaries, withoutany beginning or end. She enters the stage where she experiences the great, exciting, and

mysterious adventure o creation. In her own way and with her own logic, she separates whatshe considers important rom the unimportant. However, in the name o justice, she neverorgets to set a sarcastic, sometimes even cruel mirror to this imaginary world. Mria orejov,along with Sylvia Jokelov, the co-author o this project, invite us to this unusual perormance.It pays to come, theres a lot to look at.

Marian Meko, March 2012


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Pre Jiho Valocha sa stalo slovo a prca s nm najvou ivotnou vou. Cez slov zaal spo-znva a objavova aro a tajomstv jaz yka, jeho skryt silu, praliv podmanivos textu, sk-ma jeho nekonen varian monosti. A vedel s tmto darom majstrovsky naloi. Zostal muvern a oddan od polovice esdesiatych rokov a dodnes. Povedan jeho slovami putoval poceste od vizulnej a konkrtnej pozie cez ist otografck koncepty a k redukcii na uritizolovan pojmy, ktor prezentoval ako fnlne arteakty cez ich postupn obohacovanie mi-moverblnou smantikou kresbou a otografou. Z tejto redukcie a hadania monosti vysta-vova jedin slovo vychdzaj jeho intalcie dodnes. Jeho textov srie sa postupne stvajkomplexnejmi hadanm vzahu determinnt, urujcich prvkov v rznych kvalitatvnych ro-vinch. Z nich potom vyplynuli aj viacvrstvov vzahy v priestorovch textovch intalciach.Jeden z monch variantov nm predstavuje v tejto galrii. Mme sa na o pozera, mmeo om uvaova. Textra sa dva do pohybu, jej tkanivo sa rozplieta, slov sa odptavaj, lomia,posvaj, navzjom konrontuj, vone preskupuj a ukladaj v priestore. Vznikaj medzi niminov pozoruhodn svislosti a vzahy skmajce monosti preklenutia hranice medzi obrazoma psmom. V tomto radiklnom osloboden textu tkvie pralivos a objavnos jeho vizulnejrei. Rob to hravo, premyslene, dsledne do poslednej bodky. Je p erekcionalistom v tom naj-lepom slova zmysle, od prvch dotykov pera a po ritul intalcie. Je zjavn, e cesta, ktorousa Ji Valoch vydal, mu sved, pohybuje sa po nej isto a suvernne. Takto suvernne vstpil aj

s ukkou svojej tvorby do priestorov tejto galrie. Sme mu za to van.

Marian Meko, aprl 2012

23

Ji Valoch

od 12. aprla do 6. mja 2012


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For Ji Valoch, words and his work with them became the greatest passion in lie. Through wordshe started discovering and exploring the magic and secrets o language, its hidden power, thecaptivating charm o texts, examining the neverending variability o options. And he knowshow to use this git masterully. He has remained aithul and loyal since the mid-sixties to thepresent day. In his own words, he stumbled onto visual and concrete poetry through the reduc-tion o photographic concepts all the way to certain isolated concepts, presented as fnalartiacts, gradually enriched or non-verbal semantics: illustration and photography. His recentinstallations are still based on this reduction and search or options to exhibit a single word. Hisseries o text are gradually becoming a more complex search or the relation b etween determi-ning elements at various qualitative levels. Later, the multi-layered relations in spatial textinstallations resulted rom this. One o the possible variations is presented in this gallery. Wevegot something to look at, to think about. The texture is put into motion, its fbers unraveling,words becoming loose, breaking, moving, conronting each other, reely rearranging, andnestling down in space. New curious connections and relations are created between them, exa-mining the options o crossing the boundaries between image and text. In this radical liberationo text lies the attraction and innovation o his visual language. He does it playully, thoughtully,and consistently up to the last dot. Hes a perectionist in the best sense, rom the frst touch othe pen to the ritual o installation. Its clear that the path Ji Valoch is walking on suits him, mo-

ving with masterul confdence. And thus masterully he entered this gallery with a demonstra-tion o his work. Were grateul to him or this.

Marian Meko, April 2012

25

Ji Valoch

From April 12 to May 6, 2012


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Adriena imotov, udivujca, neopakovaten umelkya, chcelo by sa poveda, ena legenda,sa vstavou v bratislavskej Galrii 19 znovu vracia na Slovensko. Prichdza medzi ns ako blzky

lovek, priateka, naa star znma, neodmysliten sas duchovnej vbavy nho vtvarnhoctenia, ale op nov a neznma alie stretnutie s ou m op prchu tajomstva, oak-vania m ns tentokrt prekvap. Prina nm toti svoju najnoviu tvorbu, ktor cez vetkyskalia a prekky, o jej ivot a osud dodnes pripravili stle neustva...Adriena imotov na Slovensko patr v mentlnom i aktickom, duchovnom a tvorivom zmysle;nielene nau krajinu asto a s lskou navtevovala, ale v sedemdesiatych a osemdesiatych ro-koch 20. storoia vzniklo medzi ou a viacermi predstavitemi alternatvnej scny siln, me -dziudsk aj tvoriv spojenectvo. Odvtedy sa na Slovensku objavila viackrt, dalo by sa povedapravidelne: na vstave Vberov prbuznosti (1989), v Kruhu priateov eskej kultry (1991),v Galrii Mdium (1999) i na vstave nositeov ceny Christmas (2002 2003), ktor udeuj le-novia zdruenia A-R (dostala ju roku 1997). V roku 2002 Slovensk nrodn galria zskala odumelkyne do svojich zbierok krehk intalciu Rozhovorom a slvneho Oranta (SNG ho zaradilado svojich top111 diel na vstave k 60. vroiu zaloenia roku 2008). Vari najhlbm a najroz-siahlejm ponorenm sa do imotovej tvorby prezentovanm na Slovensku vbec bola vstava

pod nzvom Tvr, ktor pecilne pre Slovensk nrodn galriu kurtorsky pripravil PavelBrunclk (2004). Zapsobila na viacerch slovenskch umelcov; spomeme aspo za vetkcha bez nroku na plnos (abecedne): Rudola Filu, Daniela Fischera, Mariana Meka, Monogra-mistu T.D., Marina Mudrocha, Rudola Sikoru... Svojho druhu nezmern citcie a prbuznostiso imotovou a vybranmi motvmi z jej diel mono njs aj tam, kde by sme to mohli mononajmenej oakva napr. v niektorch dielach Jozea Jankovia i Vladimra Havrillu.O diele Adrieny imotovej sa zvykne tvrdi, e sa na ni nepodob. e je svojsk, autentick, vy-vierajce zvntra, na krajn mieru preit a precten osobnou sksenosou. Umelkya vskutkueurpskeho ormtu ena preiaren vntornm jasom svoj raison detre nala na krehkejhranici mdi, ke sa jej myslenie usdlilo v medzi-svete obrazu, kresby, reliu, sochy, ke ob-javila svoje prav mdium papier a nov jedinen jazyk, ktor Ji Valoch priliehavo nazvaljazykom dotyku. Cez neho sa dodnes zvl tnym spsobom vciuje do mizncich, prchavchpodb vonkajieho a vntornho sveta, ktor vyvolva dotykom vlastnch rk. Nie s to vakobrazy unikajcich spomienok, ale skr stopy energetickch pol, iara ud a dejov, ktor si pa-

mt... ktor doke vidie a v umen privies znovu k ivotu len ona...

Mil Adriena, vitaj medzi nami!

Katarna Bajcurov, mj 2012

27

Adriena imotov

my jsme ti, kter hledme

od 10. mja do 17. jna 2012


15/33

Adriena imotov, an astonishing, inimitable artist, and I would say a emale legend, is returningto Slovakia with her Bratislava exhibition at Galria 19. Shes coming among us as a close person,riend, an old acquaintance, an unthinkable part o the spiritual outft o our artistic eeling,but again new and unknown this next meeting with her has the avor o mystery and ex pec-tation about what shes going to surprise us with this time. Shes bringing us her recent work,which despite all the obstacles lie and destiny have prepared or her still remains Adrienaimotov belongs to Slovakia in a mental, actual, spiritual, and creative sense; not only doesshe oten and lovingly visit our country, but in the Seventies and Eighties, a strong interhumanand creative alliance was created between her and a number o other representatives o the al-ternative scene. Since then she appeared in Slovakia many times, we could say regularly: at theSelective Relations Exhibition (1989), Among the Friends o Czech Culture (1991), at the MdiumGallery (1999), and at the Christmas Award Prizeholders Exhibition (2002-2003), given out bythe members o the A-R Group (she received hers in 1997). In 2002, she gave the Slovak NationalGallery her ragile installation with the name Rozhovorom a slvneho Oranta (SNG i ncluded itamong its top 111 works o art at the exhibition or the 60th anniversary in 2008). Perhaps thedeepest and most extensive immersion into imotovs work presented in Slovakia was theexhibition called The Face, prepared specifcally or SNG by the curator Pavel Brunclk (2004).It impressed a number o Slovak artists; let me list at least a ew - Rudol Fila, Daniel Fischer, Ma-

rin Meko, Monogramist T.D., Marin Mudroch, Rudol Sikora Unintentional quotations andconnections to imotov and the selected themes o her works can be ound where we wouldexpect them the least or example, in some works by Joze Jankovi and Vladimr Havrilla.People usually say that Adriena imotovs work doesnt resemble anything, its original, authen-tic, springing rom within, lived through a personal experience and ull o eeling. An artist othe truly European ormat a woman illuminated by inner brightness who ound her raisondetre at a ragile media border, where her mind settled down in the in-between world o pain-ting, illustration, relie, and sculpture, and where she ound her true medium paper, and a newunique language, aptly named the language o touch by Ji Valoch, through which she eelsthe vanishing and volatile orms o the outer and inner world in a curious way, evoked withthe touch o her own hands. However, those are not the images o escaping memories, butrather the traces o energy felds, the glare o people and events she recallsthe glare only shesable to see and bring back to lie through art

Dear Adriena, welcome among us!

Katarna Bajcurov, May 2012

29

Adriena imotov

Were the Ones Were Looking For

rom May 10 to June 17, 2012


16/33

Ivona irkov nm chce svojou tvorbou naznai, e sasn maba obsahuje v sebe vetkyznaky generanho vtvarnho univerzalizmu, e svet sasnho umenia je u viac pl uralitounzorov, aj ke hierarchia hodnt sa nestrca.V jej tlovo preczne prepracovanej iluzvnej mabe meme ahko objavi cel klu rieenpri prepjan konceptulnych prvkov s expresvnymi, trukturlnych abstrahujcich postupovs vernm realistickm prepisom a njdeme tu aj presvediv odkazy na minimal aj inormel. D-kazom hadania rovnovhy medzi tlmi je jej obraz namaovan zo stoviek malch, s geomet-rickou presnosou nananch, monochromnch edch bodov, ktor po dokonen vtipnenazvala Pred zaatm. Objavme na om konceptulny vod, majstrovsk iluzvnu mabu, zvod-nosti k abstraktnej interpretcii i dadaisticky znejce pomenovanie. Z odstupu sa nm jav ist,vypnut pltno ako otorealistick prepis skutonosti, pri bliom pohade a skman si vak za-name kls otzku, i ide o iluzvnu alebo abstraktn mabu. Takto premyslene vystavan pro-ces vtvarnho zobrazovania s otvorenm koncom prestupuje celou jej tvorbou.Doslovn ascincia prrodou s jej neustlymi premenami, otografcky zaznamenan podnetya pragmatick vyuitie ponkanch interpretanch posunov, prenesenie vizuality otografedo sveta maovanho obrazu, sa pre jej tvorbu stvaj osnovou na skmanie alch monostmaby. Na tejto ceste od detailu k celku sa pohybuje isto a suvernne. Je perekcionalistka, ktorod prvch krokov svojou citlivosou aktivuje a invenciou prekresuje v sebe vetko zait a men

na extrakt toho, omu hovorme mdros maby. Vetko to rob dsledne a sstredene, doposlednho ahu tetcom. Obrazy Ivony irkovej pripomnaj otvoren okn, ktormi nspozva nazrie do jej dobrodrunho a pralivho sveta tvorby.

Marian Meko, jn 2012

31

Ivona irkov

Od detailu

od 21. jna do 15. jla 2012


17/33

Ivona irkov wants to suggest with her work that current painting includes all the characteris-tics o a generational artistic universalism, and that the world o todays art is rather a pluralityo opinions, even though the hierarchy o values remains.In her stylishly precise and sophisticated illusive painting, we can easily discover the whole rangeo solutions in linking conceptual with expressive elements, structural abstract procedures witha realistic transcription. Here we can also fnd convincing reerences to Minimal and Art Inormel.The proo o the search or balance between styles is her painting created rom hundreds osmall, monochromatic grey dots laid with geometric precision, which she jokingly called BeoreStarting. Here we can fnd a conceptual introduction, a masterul illusive painting, an inclinationtowards abstract interpretation and a dadaistic-sounding name. From a distance it looks like aclean, stretched canvas as a photo-realistic transcript o reality, but with a closer look we haveto ask whether its an illusive or abstract painting. Such a thoughtully elaborated process oartistic transormation with an open ending permeates all o her work.The literal ascination by nature and its constant changes, photographically recorded motives,a pragmatic utilization o the oered interpretive movements, and a transer o photographicvisuality into the world o painting became a scheme o her work in order to examine the urtherpossibilities o painting. She moves with confdence and sovereignty on this road, rom a singledetail to a unit. Shes a perectionist, rom the frst steps activating and reshaping her experience

with her sensitivity and changing it into the extract o what we call the wisdom o painting. Shedoes it consistently and careully, to the very last brush stroke. Ivona irkovs paintings resembleopen windows through which she invites us to take a peek o her adventurous and attractiveworld o creation.

Marian Meko, June 2012

33

Ivona irkov

In detail

rom June 21 to July 15, 2012


18/33

Bratislavsk Galria 19 prichdza v lete s jednm zo svojich tohtoronch vstavnch vrcholoch po Jim Valochovi a Adrieneimotovej v auguste a septembri t. r. host alieho v znamnho echa, Ladislava Novka, bsnika a kacrskeho surrealistu, oktorom sa Rudol Fila svojho asu vyjadril, e patr medzi piatich vbec najvznamnejch (vtedy) eskoslovenskch umelcov.Originalitu a jedinenos vstavnej kolekcie podtrhva akt, e je zostaven v lune zo skromnch zbierok z Bratislavy a Brnaa predstavuje verejnosti doteraz zva neprezentovan a neznme diela. Sprievodcom a vykladaom Novkovej tvorby je

v tomto prpade znalec najpovolanej: jeho dlhoron a naden obdivovate, ako aj neprosne presn analytik a interprtv jednom bsnik, vtvarnk a kurtor Ji Valoch.Prvkrt a vlastne aj naposledy som sa s nm stretla v januri roku 1997 v svislosti s prpravou dvojvstavy Ji Kol LadislavNovk, ktor pre Slovensk nrodn galriu v Bratislave zostavil esk kurtor ijci v Nemecku, Arsn Pohribn. Ladislav Novkpriiel na otvorenie osobne, potom, o preil ak rodinn tragdiu, sa zdalo, e znovu naiel zmysel ivota. Sprevdzan svojoumzou Acnavi (v civile lekrkou, ktor mu pred asom pri vnych zdravotnch akostiach vlastne zachrnila ivot), pred oamins vetkch, o sme ho s istm divom sledovali mono poveda sa priam vznal na krdlach lsky. Priatesky a ochotne spre-vdzal nvtevnkov vstavy a komentoval svoje diela. Kto mohol vtedy tui, e mu osud odmeral necel dva roky ivota a tvorby.V Bratislave sa ctil evidentne dobre, ve priiel medzi svojich priateov, ich okruh zaal vznika a ormova sa u dvnejie.Hlavnm znalcom, ctiteom, ale aj umeleckm populariztorom a propagtorom Novkovho diela bol v Bratislave Rudol Fila,od esdesiatych rokov 20. storoia mienkotvorn, medzi tudentmi obben a obdivovan pedagg Strednej koly umeleckhopriemyslu, ktormu bolo Novkovo dielo blzke mentlne, duchovne, vtvarne, udsky a ostatne aj geograicky. Sm pochdzalz Pbrami na Morave, tudoval na umeleckej priemyslovke v Brne u proesora Bohdana Lacinu a okruh moravskch umeleckchsbecov mu ostal mimoriadne blzky aj po tom, o sa po absolutriu na Vysokej kole vtvarnch umen usadil v Bratislave;okrem Ladislava Novka v Tebi patrili do hlavne bsnik a litert Ludvk Kundera, ktor il v Kuntte na Morave, brnenskvtvarnci Dalibor Chatrn a Ji Valoch, umelec knihy J. H. Kocman, pvodnm povolanm veterinr. Zaujatie a lsku k Novkovejobrazovej pozii preniesol prirodzene aj na okruh svojich iakov (ovea neskr sa zdruili vo vonom vtvarnom zoskupen A-R,Avance-Retard), hlavne vak Milana a Klru Bokayovcov, Vlada Kordoa, Marina Mudrocha, Marina Meka a alch.

Zo iakov sa v priebehu sedemdesiatych rokoch stali kolegovia, ke sa viacer z nich (Bokay, Kordo a Mudroch) ako pedag-govia stretli so svojm bvalm proesorom na UP-ke. Ako spomnali, okolo roku 1974 zaali podnika kadoron spanil

jazdy za majstrom Filom, ktor let aj s manelkou Dorotou pravidelne trvil vo svojom moravskom rodisku. Stala sa z tohotradcia, ktor takmer nepretrite pokraovala dve desaroia. K povinnm jazdm kadorone patrili aj nvtevy spomnanchmoravskch priateov. Medzi nimi mal kov miesto Ladislav Novk; nvtevy v jeho milovanom Tebi neboli len maniest-ciou umeleckch sympati a zujmov, ale hlavne intenzvnej medziudskej vzjomnosti. Od prrody skr hbav introvert, ales neobyajnm (miestami a iernym) zmyslom pre humor, irniu a sebairniu, poas nvtev priateov, ako spomnali pamt-nci, neobyajne oval, pri vne, rozhovoroch o umen, pozii a ivote; zvyajne dochdzalo aj k prehliadke novch prc a skoroneodmyslitenmu obdarovvaniu. Na druhej strane, netreba zabudn, e pre kadho, kto sa tchto stretnut zastnil bolanvteva tohto ostroveka duchovnej slobody a nezvislej kreativit y v ase totality aj silnm vntornm povzbudenm a moti-vciou k tvorbe. Ako na to neskr spomnal Marin Mudroch: Ladislav Novk bol bliie k schopnosti by ako vina z ns.Mal schopnos prostrednka medzi nami a inm svetom. Tieto spriaznenosti vobou sme zavali u pri prvom stretnut v Tebi...Priatesk sznenie nalo odraz aj v inej, organizano-odbornej rovine. Roku 1994 predstavil Milan Bokay Novkovo dielo navstave jeho roas v Galrii Palisdy pri kole itkovho vtvarnctva Josea Vydru v Bratislave, roku 1995 mu v Maovanomdome v Tebi bratislavsk priatelia usporiadali v stavu, symbolick hommage pod nzvom A-R Ladislavovi Novkovi, pri tejtoprleitosti vznikol ja album ich prc, ktor mu k sedemdesiatke venovali. Korunou jeho prezentcie na Slovensku sa uritestala u spomnan dvojvstava v Slovenskej nrodnej galrii, ktor inicioval vtedaj riadite Juraj ry. Rudola Filu viackrtinpiroval k jasnozrivm a trenm umeleckohistorickm vkladom, psali o om zasvten znalci surrealizmu Juraj Moji i Albert

Marenin.K menu Ladislava Novka po cel ivot patril prdomok z Teba, usaden v malom meste, v dobrovonom stran provincie,vak celm svojm ivotom a tvorbou dokazoval, e vek umenie nie je otzkou ani vekch slov, ani vekho ormtu a ani ve-kho mesta; me vznika hocikde, ako priama mera vekho talentu, sstredenia, zaujatia i vne... Prijmite, prosm, pozvanie,na nvtevu zzranho sveta, ktor pre svojich priateov ale vlastne aj pre ns zanechal Ladislav Novk.

Katarna Bajcurov, august 2012

35

Ladislav Novk

od 16. augusta do 9. septembra 2012


19/33

This summer, Galria 19 in Bratislava is coming up with one o its great exhibitions o the year ater Ji Valoch and Adrienaimotov, it will host Ladislav Novk this August and September, another distinguished Czech poet and heretical surrealist.Inhis time, Rudol Fila said that he belongs among the fve most signifcant (at that time) Czechoslovak artists. The originality andsingularity o the exhibitions collection is underlined by the act that its composed o exclusively private collections rom Bra-tislava and Brno, introducing the public to mostly yet unrepresented and unknown works o art. In this case, the guide and in-

terpreter o Novks work is a most capable expert: his long-time dedicated admirer and cogently exact analyst and interpreterin one poet, artist, and curator: Ji Valoch.The frst and last time I met him was in January o 1997, in connection with the preparation o the Ji Kol Ladislav Novkdouble exhibition, organized or the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava by Arsn Pohribn, a Czech curator living in Germany.Ladislav Novk attended the opening in person, and it seemed that he rediscovered the meaning o lie ater a tough amilytragedy. Accompanied by his muse Acnavi (a doctor who practically saved his lie some time ago when he had severe healthproblems), we can say that he was oating on the wings o love while we all watched him in astonishment. Friendly and willing,he accompanied the exhibitions visitors and commented on his works o art. Who would have thought that destiny would allowhim only two more years o lie and creation. He had clearly elt good in Bratislava, being among riends whose circle started togrow and orm some time beore. The main specialist, admirer, and artistic propagator o Novks work in Bratislava was RudolFila, an opinion-maker, a popular and admired teacher at the Secondary School o Applied Arts since the Sixties. Novks workwas close to him mentally, spiritually, artistically, humanly, and also geographically.He hi msel came rom Pbram na Morav,studied at a secondary technical school o art in Brno with Proessor Bohdan Lacina, and the circle o his Moravian art contem-porariesremained very close to him even ater settling down in Bratislava ater graduating rom the College o Fine Arts; besidesLadislav Novk in Teb, there were especially the poet and literat Ludvk Kundera, living in Kuntt na Morav, Brno artists Da-libor Chatrn and Ji Valoch, and the book illustrator J. H. Kocman, originally a veterinarian. Naturally, he transerred his interestand love o Novks visual poetry to his students (much later they united in the ree art group A-R, Advance-Retarde), mostlyMilan and Klra Bokay, Vlado Kordo, Marin Mudroch, Marin Meko, and others. During the Seventies, his students became

his colleagues when several o them (Bokay, Kordo, and Mudroch) met their ormer proessor as teachers at the School o Ap-plied Arts. As theyve mentioned, around 1974 they started taking beautiul tripsannually to visit Fila the master, who was re-gularly spending summers at his Moravian birthplace with his wie Dorota. It became a tradition, continuing or almost twodecades. Among the obligatory tripsthere were also the visits o the abovementioned Moravian riends. The key place amongthem belonged to Ladislav Novk; visits in his beloved Teb werent only a maniestation o artistic sympathy and interests,but particularly an intensive interpersonal solidarity. His nature is o a thoughtul introvert, but with an extraordinary (sometimeseven black) sense o humor, irony, and sel-deprecation. As people remember, he always came to lie when visiting riends,having a glass o wine, talking about art, poetry, and lie; he oten ended up showing new work and almost inevitably givingaway gits. On the other hand, we cant orget that in times o totalitarianism, the visiting o this little island o reedom andcreativity was a strong inner encouragement and motivation to work or everyone who participated in these meetings. AsMarin Mudroch thought back later: Ladislav Novk was closer to the ability o beingthan most o us. He was the mediatorbetween us and another world. We experienced this proximity right away at the frst meeting in TebThis riendly consonance also ound a reection on another organizational and proessional level. In 1994, Milan Bokay intro-duced Novks work at his exhibition o roissage in the Palisdy Gallery, next to the Jose Vydra School o Applied Arts i n Brati-slava. In 1995, his Bratislava riends organized a symbolic homage exhibition or him in Painted House in Teb, under thename A-R or Ladislav Novk.An album o their works was created on this occasion and given to him on his seventieth birthday.The crown jewelo his presentation in Slovakia is surely the already mentioned double exhibition in the Slovak National Gallery,initiated by then-director Juraj ry. He oten inspired Rudol Fila to his lucid and eloquent artistic and historical comments.

Devoted experts on surrealism Juraj Moji and Albert Marenin were writing about him. Ladislav Novks name always hadthe attribute o Teb settled in a small town in voluntary solitude rom the province. However, throughout his lie and withhis work he proved that big art is not a matter o big words, ormat, or city; it can be created anywhere, directly proportional tobig talent, concentration, captivation and passion Please, accept the i nvitation to the magical world Ladislav Novk let hereor us and his riends.

Katarna Bajcurov, August 2012

37

Ladislav Novk

od 16. augusta do 9. septembra 2012


20/33

Klra Bokayov mi vdy pripadala ako dovriteka enskej emancipcie, ale nie presvedovacourazanciou v zmysle suraetskho superchlapstva, ani rezignovanm na enstvo inm druhomsebaponenia, ktor ponkaj rzne alie eministick hnutia so sklonmi k ete hlbm pon-enostiam, pretoe si nala u od samch poiatkov svojej tvorby, povedal by som, e u v kol-

skch laviciach abecedu a syntaktick systmy, umoujce vvoj bez dramatickch komplikci,ale tie bez nbehu k opakovaniu u njdenho, o sa v dnenom umen odohrva a prli asto,a zrejme tie denn konrontcie s podobne artikulovanou tvorbou manela, len s plne inmtvaroslovm a pritom nielen o dikcii je teraz re, ale priamo elementrnom, teda podobne ako vslovesnch ormch umenie predstavuje trebrs slabikovanie, je vber jej prvkov, citovanchvchodsk z udovch banalt a pouitie, akm prena citovan prvky do svojich kompozci,prezrdza na jednej strane orientciu v montnych procesoch, zaloench na rotovan,kolovan, odtlakoch a mono ete inch praktikch, ktorch kombincie zakladaj nov roz-prvkov deje, ktormi hbe isto eminn duch iskrivho dvtipu bez toho, aby sa vtvarnrekvencie, ensky dvern a bez zbytonch dramatizovan dali strhn k rozptaniu prkrosta zabdali pritom na hybnos so znakmi sptnosti, o s ensk zbrane par excellence, vovtvarnom umen obetovan asto v prospech inch enomnov, predstierajcich razanciu,ktor u Klry Bokayovej pri jej temperamente by mohli bez ostychu dominova, avak vyba-lansovan u zmienenmi posadnutosami hudobno-skladobnho pvodu, vyplvajcimi z

osobnostnho noblesnho zaloenia a mono tie z manelskej shry umoujcej pri tak vzc-nych talentoch, ak obidvaja predstavuj, zretenos odlinost, vyrovnvajcu a pecifkujcupotencionlne zdroje naptia v prospech veci spolonej i odlinej.

Rudol Fila, 2004

39 40

Klra Bokayov

Jeden z vs ma zrad a in prbehy

od 13. septembra do 7. oktbra 2012


21/33

Klra Bokayov always looked to me like the greatest exemplar o emale emancipation, butnot due to a convincing boldness o a suragette supermanhood, or by breaking away romwomanhood through some other type o sel-humiliation, oered by various other eminist mo-vements prone to even deeper humiliation, because since the very beginning o her career,

I would say already at school, she discovered the alphabet and syntactic systems, allowing herto develop without any dramatic complications, but also without the inclination to repeat thealready discovered, which is happening very oten in todays art, and perhaps also the daily con-rontations with the similarly articulated works by her husband, only with a completely dierentmorphology, and by that I dont only mean diction, but also the basics, meaning that similarlyto verb orms, the art represents, or example, syllabication, her work with the choice o itselements, basis quoted rom olk banalities, and the way she transers the cited parts into hercompositions, reveals on one hand the orientation in the assemblage processes based onrottaging, collages, prints, and maybe even more methods, whose combinations are the basisor new airytales, moved by a pure eminine spirit and sparkling wit without art requencies,womanly confdence and without unnecessary dramatization, having to be dragged to unleashsnappishness while orgetting the dynamics with the signs o devolution, which are the emaleweapons par excellence, in fne art oten sacrifced in avor o other phenomena pretendingboldness and which could shamelessly dominate in Klra Bokayovs work when we consider

her temperament, but already balanced with the mentioned obsessions o a musical and com-posing origin, arising rom her classy personal nature, and maybe even by the husbandlyharmony, showing the clarity o dierences, balancing and speciying the potential sources otension in avor o both the common and unshared things by such rare talents as the two othem are.

Rudol Fila, 2004

41 42

Klra Bokayov

One o You Will Betray Me and Other Stories

rom September 13 to October 7, 2012


22/33

Videnie je podmienen myslenie.

Maurice Merleau PontyOtvorenos a priepustnos vizulnej sksenosti charakterizuj typ postmodernho vizulneho jazyka, ak priniesol Martin Der-ner (*1973) najskr do mdia vonej grafky. Postupne roziroval register mdi o objekty, kole, knin objekt, otografu ma-nipulovanch prvkov prrody, reli a ich presahy. Kontinuita autorskho kdu Dernera predstavuje asociatvny pohyb vrazovch

prostriedkov, pln prekvapivch spojen a zvratov (subverzi) a rovnako neakanho ormlneho spracovania, v ktorom sa as topriamo sprtomuje idea diela. Fenomenologickou osou tvorby Dernera je hra v zmysle kombintoriky, premenya mystifkcie. Inovcie vi zulneho jazyka zaka autor cez transmedilny prstup v intencich znakovho celku vizulnej kultry.Pojem umenia ako slobodnej hry zdrazuj viacer pokantovsk koncepcie vo flozofi i es tetike. Takou je aj povaha umeniav Dernerovej tvorbe. Hra ako dialg neakanch spojen a ich transverzia, ale sasne sprtomujca energiu tradcie v ase -postmedilnej doby. Derner osi bnlno-inorman uchop a transormuje do novej podoby, priom tu dominuje idea zmenyvznamu i dokonca hodnoty. Divk tak zskava nov sksenos, ktor provokuje inakos pohadu. Pomocou znakovch, sym-bolickch a materilovch intervenci alebo ich vrstvenm utvra autor dialg hru s pravidlami rekontextualizcie, ale aj dete-ritorializcie pvodnho. Derner nadvzuje na konceptulne tendencie 60. rokov a analyticko-interpretan lniu umenia 70.rokov 20. storoia. Jeho jazyk tak spja vizulnu poziu s racionlno-ironickm konceptom, ale a j analzou mdi. Apropricianjdenej vizulnej veci (a obrazu) tvor zkladn mentlno-yzick materil jeho diel. Dleitm je vznamov posun v rovineasociatvnosti alebo intervencie a paradoxnho popretia pvodnho obrazu i motvu. K tomuto tvorivmu princpu sa akobonus pridva ist esencilne grafno. Je to stratgia myslenia v grafckom jazyku, postupe a technolgii, kedy domamematricu a jej odtlaok, priom u Dernera tieto pojmy a ich akticita zuj.V tvorbe autora prevauje zdraznen predstavivos, ale nie t, tendujca k nadrelnu. Skr in, spjan s paradoxmi a asto ajdrsnosou nepredvdatenej reality. Tto ideov hra sprostredkovan vizulnou, spova na otzke ako by to mohlo dopadn?alebo ak je to pre ma? Formotvornm aspektom je tu recyklcia viditenho s prvkami mystifkcie v zmysle spojenia reality

a jej fkcie. Texty, knihy, antikvrne anonymn otografe a tlae ho inpiruj ako hotov (dan) typ videnia, z ktorho vytvorin. Takto provokuje u divka nielen dialogickos, ale priamo pochybovanie ako zklad racionality. Rozsiahly cyklus miniatr-nych prc stavia autor na variabilite jazyka nru a asociatvnosti v rmci vtvarnej techniky maby liatm prevane bielejarby. Nejde tu o premabu v ponman autorskho gesta R . Filu, ani vymazvanie v duchu transcendentna S. Filka. Skr tu je af-nita k tvorbe P. Bartoa alebo J. Kollera. Ich ran prce s prbuznou estetickou kvalitou rieili ale in problm nov pohadyna pojmy zobrazenia, obrazu, reality a podobne. Dnen genercia u nemus riei tieto konzekvencie mdi. Prela dostato-nmi lekciami ich zatracovania, mieania, simulovania a novch nvratov ku klasike.Dernerovi nejde o akt vymazvania ako tak. Toto gesto je skr komentrom k njdenej vednej a anonymnej predlohe, priomtieto tematicky triedi (podobne ako O. Laubert). Objavuj sa tu nre portrtu, skupinov portrt s motvom rodiny, krajina,mesto, motv portu. Pre Dernera reprezentuj osi ako archetypy pamti. Kolektvnej, individulnej, kadodennej, vizulnej(vysokej i masovej) kultry. Obsahuj historick ponauenie s poukazom na nepouitenos (symbolika otznika, vkrinka,Madony, hviezdy a inch kultrnych kdov). Miniatry pracuj paralelne s enomnom vtvarnej ilzie a s ilziou reality, ktorpopieraj akoby naruenou pamovou stopou. Osobit oblas tvorby Dernera reprezentuje knin objekt. S relnou knihoupracuje relino-sochrskym tlom rzovania, ale aj segmentovania i as amblovania s cieom vyui vrstvy textu, masu knihys archeologickmi sondami do ich obsahu. Aj tu pracuje tlom presahov mdi, kedy zsahom dosahuje vznamov premenua juxtaponovanie pvodnho materilu (a vznamu i zmyslu textu). Naprklad motvy otznika a vkrinka vrstven z kninchstrnok. Vstava Martina Dernera Miniatry (prce z rokov 2009 2012) prina tri vzjomne previazan, ale medilne nezvisl

oblasti tvorby autora liate premaby njdench otograf, knin objekty a reliy s recyklciou ich zvykovho materilu.Popri hre vizulneho jazyka ako princpe autorovej tvorby, dominuje zmena, rekolovanie znakovch a obrazovch typovs vslednou intertextualitou vznamu. tl, ktor u Dernera nateraz prevlda, reprezentuje ahkos poetickej irnie, miestamis prvkami demtizcie i dokonca sarkazmu. Tto umeleck stratgia je ale na strane pravdy ako sksenosti, a na strane ivotavyjadrujc jeho neist povahu.

Alena Vrbanov, oktber 2012

43

Martin Derner

Miniatry

od 11. oktbra do 4. novembra 2012


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45

Martin Derner

Miniatures

rom October 13 to November 14, 2012

Seeing is conditional thinking.

Maurice Merleau PontyThe openness and permeability o visual experience characterize a type o postmodern visual language brought frst to ree mediagraphics by Martin Derner (b. 1973). Gradually, he extended his media range with objects, collages, books, photography o mani-pulated natural elements, relie, and their overlaps.The continuity o Derner's authorial gestures is represented by an associative

movement o the means o expression, ull o surprising connections and subversions, and an equally unexpected ormal proces-sing in which the idea o the work is oten directly enlivened. The phenomenological axis o Derner's work is a game in terms ocombinatorics, transormation, and mystifcation.The author is experiencing innovations in visu al language through a transmediaapproach in terms o the character unit belonging to visual culture. Several post-Kant philosophical and aesthetical conceptsemphasize the concept o art as a ree game. Such is the nature o art in Derner's work. Game as a dialogue o unexpectedconnections and their transversion, simultaneously enlivening the energy o tradition in a postmedia period. Derner grabs some-thing trivial and inormative, transorming it into a new orm, while the change in meaning or the entire value dominates here.The viewer gains a new experience, provoking a change o perspective. Using character, symbol, and material interventions ortheir layering, the author creates a dialogue a game with rules o recontextualization, and also deterritorialization o the original.Derner ollows the conceptual tendencies rom the Sixties and the analytical and interpretive art line rom the Seventies. Hislanguage connects visual poetry, a rational ironic concept, and media analysis. The appropriation o a ound visual subject (andpicture) creates the basic mental and physical material o his works. The shit o meaning at the associative level is important, orthe intervention and paradoxical denial o the original painting or theme. Some essential "graphics" is added to this creativeprinciple as a "bonus." It's a strategy o thinking in graphic language, processes, and technology when we surmise a matrix and itsprint, while these concepts and their actuality use in Derner's case.An emphasized imagination prevails in the author's work, but it's not inclined towards the hyperrealistic. It's associated with pa-radoxes and oten with the roughness o unpredictable reality. This ideological game mediated through the visual one is basedon the question "how could this end?" or "how is this or me?" A orm creating aspect here recycles the visible with elements o

mystifcation, in terms o connecting reality and its fction. Texts, books, anonymous antiquarian photographs and prints inspirehim as a complete (given) type o vision, rom which he creates a dierent one. Besides a dialogue, he directly provokes doubts inthe viewer as the basis or rationalism using this method. The extensive cycle o "miniature" works is based on the variability ogenre language and the associativity in the art technique - "painting" by mostly pouring white color. It's neither overpainting likein the case o Rudol Fila's authorial gesture, nor erasure in the spirit o the transcendent Stano Filko. Rather there's an anity toPeter Barto' and Jlius Koller's work. However, their early works, with a similar aesthetic quality, dealt with a dierent problem a new perception o portrayal, paintings, reality, etc. Today's generation no longer has to deal with these media consequents.They've been through enough lessons o condemnation, mixing, simulation, and new returns to the Classics. Derner doesn't careabout the act o erasure as such. This gesture is more o a commentary on the ound everyday and anonymous originals, whilesorting them thematically (similarly to Otis Laubert). Genres like portraits, group portraits with a amily theme, countryside, city,and sports themes, appear here. For Derner, they represent something like the antetypes o memory collective, individual,everyday, visual (high and mass) culture. They include historical lessons suggesting incorrigibility (question mark and exclamationpoint symbolism, Madonna, star, and other cultural codes). Miniatures work parallel to the phenomenon o art illusion and anillusion o reality, which they deny as i disturbed by a mindprint. Literary objects represent a distinctive part o Derner's work.With a real book, he works in a relie-sculptural style o milling, segmenting, and assembling, in order to use the text layers andbook's mass with an "archaeological" probe into its content. Even here he exceeds the media and with this intervention, he reachesa change in meaning and the adjacency o the original material (and the signifcance and textual meaning). For example, motislike question marks and exclamation points layered rom book pages. Martin Derner's Miniatry Exhibition (works rom 2009

2012) brings three interconnected, but medially independent areas in his work molten "overpaintings" o ound photographs,literary objects, and relies with recycled "residual" material. Besides, the play o visual language as the principle o the author'swork dominates the interchange, plus the recollage o symbolic and imaging types with a fnal intertextuality o the meaning. Thestyle predominating in Derner's recent work represents a lightness o poetic irony, sometimes with elements o demythologizingand sarcasm. However, this art strategy is on the side o truth, experience, and lie, expressing its uncertain nature.

Alena Vrbanov, October 2012


24/33

Dva umlci, kte vrazn ormovali druhou generan vlnu eskho surrealismu v podob vlen atsn povlen aktivity Skupiny Ra, shodou okolnost oba patc k jej brnnsk vtvi a oba znm pe-devm jako otograov. Vrazn se pitom podleli na hledn novch vrazovch prostedk, cel sku-pina odmtala mezivlen surrealismus veristick Chtli nalzat nov estetick sdlen tak originln,

e se svmi vsledky piblili prvnm pedzvstem inormelu, jak se objevovaly v internacionlnm hnutCOBRA, s nm mli nkte tak kontakty.V roce 1944 se ovem tak podleli na prvnch kolektivnch akcch sui generis, pedjmajcch akn umnv podob aranm vlastnch tl i jejich st a rzn zpsoby, jimi je reinterpretovali A kali tomuprvnmu velkmu hledn dn, protoe bylo tak odlin od jejich ostatn praxe pozdji byli sprvnidentifkovni jako pedchdci aknho umn.Milo Koreek se vnoval od potku pouze otografi. Zpotku se pokusil o netradin pohledy na p-rodn objekty i o otomonte, ovem potom nsledoval jeho velk objev, ocenn ji tehdy i KarlemTeigem jako jedinen v mezinrodnm kontextu. Znal dekalky od rznch surrealistickch koleg, on sinael jejich otografckou paralelu okalk. Tehdy standardn uvan otografck desky rozehval, avznikly rzn struktury, jak de acto byly vlastn inormelu objevoval na nich vt nebo men detaily,kter jej ascinovaly, a ty teprve zvtoval. Tak vznikla valn st jeho autonomnho dla, ji od roku 1945vystavuje prakticky pouze sv okalky. Nkdy v nich divk nalzal jaksi antazijn tvary, ale de acto tobyly skuten pedevm autonomn struktury. A tm potom v rznch modifkacch zasvtil svou tvorbu,nkdy uplatnil zbytky pvodnho obrazu, teba kdy na pvodnm negativu byly njak texty shodou

okolnost jsem tohoto vbornho umlce prezentoval pi jeho prvn retrospektiv v brnnskm Kabinetuotografe Domu pn z Kunttu, vstavn sni Domu umn. Jeho dlo je mimodn autentick a ped-jm svtov inormel padestch let, i kdy nkdy nen dostaten prezentovn.Vilm Reichmann ml trochu sloitj umleck hledn zanal ve tictch letech kresbami, expre-svn spoleensky kritickmi, on ovem byl sm vdy nesmrn sebekritick, take je zavrhl, protoe sepr pli blily jm tehdy velice obdivovanmu Georgi Grossovi. Ve tyictch letech pak ji vytvoilzcela autentick kresby surrealistick, ale i ty odmtal, uznval pouze sv otografe, nejprve cykly,zobrazujc pekvapiv, absurdn setkn neoekvanch objekt dky rznm zmnm po zsazch vrozbombardovanm mst. S tmi se ji podlel na aktivit Skupiny Ra i na jinch skupinovch vstavch.Vtinu ivota ovem potom zasvtil makrootografm detail z rznch st opt tohoto svho msta,kter jako sprvn neosurrealista vnmal jako imaginativn, jako nai pedstavivost podncujc tvary,subtiln antazijn, nkdy a peludn (trochu v tomto vidn ml u ns asi nejble k Emile Medkov,ovem s jinou morologi a tedy i s jinou smantikou). Makrootografe tvo podstatnou soust jehoivotnho dla, ovem ve st se vrtil k monosti, vytvet jakousi inormelovou miniaturu na kouskyflmu a tu potom zvtoval. A kruh se defnitivn uzavel, kdy dky zdravotnm handicapm v poslednchletech ivota vytvoil i adu volnch kreseb na pape, nkdy vc imaginativnch a tedy semifgurativnch,jindy abstraktnch.

Ji Valoch, jen 2012

47

Milo Koreek a Vilm Reichmann

Dva otograov Skupiny Ra

od 8. novembra do 30. novembra 2012


25/33

Two artists who signifcantly helped to shape the second generation wave o Czech surrealism, in theorm o war and post-war activity o the Group Ra, coincidentally both belonging to its Brno branch andprimarily known as photographers. They signifcantly contributed to the search o new means o expres-sion; the whole group was denying the new verismo surrealism They wanted to look or new aesthetic

statements in such an original way, that with their results they got very near the prognosis o Art Inormel,appearing in the international movement COBRA, to which some o them had connections. In 1944, theyalso participated in the frst collective sui generis events, anticipating action art in the orm o arrangingtheir own bodies or their parts in many ways, and thus reinterpreting And they called this frst greatsearch Spree, because it was so dierent rom their other work later they were correctly identifed asthe precursors o action art.From the very beginning, Milo Koreek devoted himsel only to photography. First he attempted un-conventional views o natural objects and photomontages, but then his great discovery ollowed, valuedeven then by Karl Teige as unique within an international context. He knew about decal work rom variousSurrealist contemporaries, and ound their photographic counterpart ocal work. He warmed up thethen commonly used photographic boards to achieve various structures, which were used in Art Inormelby de acto he was discovering bigger and smaller details that ascinated him, enlarging them. A goodpart o his autonomous works originated rom this, exhibited since 1945 as his ocal work. Sometimesthe viewers ound some antastic shapes and fgures in them, but by de acto they really were mostlyautonomous structures. Later he devoted his work to these in various modifcations, sometimes applying

the remains o the original image, or example when there was some text on the original negative co-incidentally, I presented this great artist at his frst retrospective in the Photography Cabinet in the Houseo Lords o Kuntt, the exhibition hall o the Brno House o Arts. His work is extremely authentic, antici-pating the global Art Inormel o the Fities, even though it sometimes isn't suciently presented.Vilm Reichmann's artistic search was a little bit more complicated - he began with expressively andsocially creative illustrations in the Thirties, but he was very sel-critical and abandoned them, becausesupposedly they were very similar to the then very admired George Gross. In the Forties he was creatingonly completely authentic surrealistic drawings, although denying them again. He only appreciated hisphotographs, at frst the whole cycles depicting surprising, absurd meetings o unexpected objects,thanks to various changes ater the attacks in a bombed city. With these cycles he participated in theGroup Ra's activities and other group exhibitions. However, he devoted the biggest part o his lie tomacrophotographs o details rom various parts o the same city, which he perceived like a real Neo -surrealist: as imagination-stimulating orms, subtly antastical, sometimes even spectral (with this visionhe was closest to Emila Medkov, but with a dierent morphology and thus also semantics). Macropho-tographs represent an essential part o his lie's work, however in old age he returned to the possibilityo creating a sort o Art Inormel miniatures on pieces o flm and then enlarging them. And the circlefnally closed when due to health issues in the last years o his lie he created a series o drawings onpaper, sometimes more imaginative and thus semi-fgurative, and other times abstract.

Ji Valoch, October 2012

49

Milo Koreek and Vilm Reichmann

Two photographers o the Group Ra

rom November 8 to November 30, 2012

b


26/33

Ak dnes otvorme konzervu invennch npadov Otisa Lauberta, prc zo esdesiatych rokov,ktor dleitm spsobom ovplyvnili jeho budcu tvorbu a nikdy neboli vystaven, uvidmev nej erstv, neporuen, avnat plody, ktor odolali zubu asu aj mdnym vlnm a po-tvrdzuj star pravdu, e kvalita dobrho umenia je v om samom a je neprenosn. To, e tieto

prce sa vystavuj takmer po polstoro, nie je v umen ni vnimon, ve dejiny nm ponkajmnoho prkladov osudov osamelch becov, ktor svojimi objavmi, a to nielen v umen, pred-behli svoju dobu a tvorili bez toho, aby si ich dielo vbec niekto vimol. A naviac Otis prevaltoto obdobie bez priameho osobnho kontaktu s vtedajou vtvarnou komunitou a bez kon-rontcie s jej tvorbou. Milan Kundera v jednej tdii napsal, e surrealisti vo svojom maniesteboli prsni k umeniu romnu. Vytali mu, e je nevylieitene zavalen prostrednosou, popis-nosou, banalitou, vetkm, o je pravm opakom pozie. Verili v budce zlenie dvoch na po-had takch protikladnch stavov, ako je sen a skutonos, v absoltnu realitu, nadrealitu.Paradoxne toto zlenie sna a skutonosti , ktor ranczski surrealisti proklamovali, hoci sa imho nepodarilo uskutoni vo vekom literrnom diele, u existovalo, a to prve v tom umen, kto-rmu sa vysmievali, v romnoch Franza Kaku, napsanch v predchdzajcom desaro.Ke Umberto Eco koncom sedemdesiatych rokov vo svojich slvnych romnoch a esejch uva-oval o monej vyerpanosti jednotlivch etp modernho umenia, nave ich obsahovej a or-mlnej istoty, a predkladal ako jedno z rieen premieavanie tlov, podobn vahy overen

tvorbou mali Otis Laubert, hnutie Fluxus a americk akn scna u dvno za sebou. Od poloviceesdesiatych rokov dovtedy mlo vdanm spsobom zaali obohacova vtvarn vrazovslovnk postupmi, ktor dnes meme smelo oznai za prv kroky postmoderny. Otis sa v tejdobe svojsky vyrovnval s podnetmi dadaizmu a pop-artu, a ako ich prvoplatn dedi hravo aodvne rieil monosti prepjania a vzjomnej konrontcie tlov.Patr medzi prvolezcov, mgov schopnch absorbova kad inician podnet bez zbran a spra-cova ho s plnm nasadenm. Vetko, o odvtedy prechdza jeho rukami, podlieha permanentnejinvennej premene. Tmito postupmi sa cel Otisova tvorba stva jednm vekm depozitom,v ktorom sa uctieva, triedi, skma, posva a p repja kad njden vec. Dva outsiderom novsmantick obsah je prirodzenou vyjadrovacou ormou jeho vnej hry. Hry, ktor nemono vy-klada a uloi do iadnej schmy. Kad z nich sa rca, pretoe jeho nekonvenn zber mo-nost vizulneho zobrazovania je tak irok, e sa vymyk akmukovek zaradeniu.Aj preto by mapovanie a sumarizovanie stavu sasnho umenia bolo nepln bez poznaniaprbehu o prnose tvorby Otisa Lauberta. Obohacuje ho toti o rozmer, ktorm umenie doby

postmodernej prli neoplva, a to je invencia, kvalita a humor. A e mu tieto schopnosti nech-baj, potvrdzuje tto vstava. K nej meme ako bonus pokojne doda pararzujc Picassoveslov e Otis nehad, Otis nachdza.

Marian Meko, december 2012

51

Otis Laubert

Zavraniny

od 10. decembra do 29. decembra 2012

Oti L b t


27/33

I we now opened the can o Otis Laubert's inventive ideas and works rom the Sixties that aectedhis uture career in an important way and had never been exhibited, we would see resh, intact, suc-culent ruits that have withstood the ravages o time and waves o ashion, confrming the old adagethat the quality o good art is within itsel and untranserable. The act that these works are now

being exhibited ater almost hal a century isn't anything special in art; history oers us a lot o exam-ples o lone runners who outpaced their times with their discoveries not just in art, and were creatingwithout anyone even noticing their work. And moreover, Otis Laubert lived through this period wi-thout personal contact with the artistic community and any conrontation with their work. MilanKundera wrote in one o his studies that in their maniesto, the Surrealists were strict concerningthe art o the novel. They accused Laubert o being terminally overwhelmed with mediocrity,descriptiveness, banality, and everything opposed to poetr y. They believed in the uture unifcationo these seemingly very opposing states, such as dream and reality, absolute reality, and hyperreality.Paradoxically, this "unifcation o a dream and reality" proclaimed by the French Surrealists hadalready existed, even though they weren't able to accomplish it in a great literary work. It was pre -cisely in the type o ar t they derided, in Franz Kaka's novels, written in the previous decade.When at the end o the Seventies Umberto Eco started meditating in his essays and amous novelsabout the possible exhaustion o individual stages in modern art, atigue in their contextual andormal purity, and presented the mixing o styles as one o the solutions, Otis Laubert, the FluxusMovement, and the American action scene had already had similar thoughts long beore. From the

mid-Sixties, they started enriching the artistic dictionary o expressions with methods then rarelyseen, which we can now confdently designate as the frst steps towards Postmodernism. In his time,Otis Laubert was dealing with Dadaist and Pop Art impulses in a peculiar way, and as their rightulheir, he was playully and audaciously considering the options regarding the combinations and mu-tual conrontations o styles. He belongs among the pioneers, magicians able to absorb everyinitiatory impulse without inhibitions, and process it with a ull enthusiasm. Everything passingthrough his hands since then undergoes a permanent inventive transormation. With this method,Lauberts entire oeuvre becomes one big repository, in which every discovered thing is worshipped,classifed, examined, transported, and interconnected. To give outsiders a new semantic content isa natural orm o expression in his serious game. A game that cannot be interpreted or put into anyscheme. Each o the schemes crumbles, because his unconventional range o possibilities in visualdisplay is so wide that it defes any classifcation.Thereore any mapping and summarization o contemporary art's state would be incompletewithout knowing the story about the contribution o Otis Laubert's work. He added a dimensionthat postmodern art doesn't teem much with: invention, quality, and humor. This exhibition is theproo that he's not missing these abilities. As a bonus, we can saely add - paraphrasing Picasso'swords - that Otis doesn't seek, Otis fnds.

Marian Meko, December 2012

53

Otis Laubert

Conserves

rom December 10 to December 29, 2012

Ch i t Ch i t


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Ja je niekto in, Ja nie som ani autor ani metafora, Ja nie je mj pseudonym.

Ja som Marian Meko (teda aspo v tejto chvli). lohu Meka nebolo mon odmietnu. Jednak ma ou poverilrevolun vbor A-R, jednak ma urit historick svislosti na tto lohu preduruj. Ako prvk koly umeleckhopriemyslu na aranrskom oddelen som sa poda abecedy stal prvm tdennkom. Tdennk je tde porukeako posluha vyuujcim a al tde poda abecedy taetu preber al. Takto logicky to prebieha azda na vet-kch kolch sveta, ktor sa snaia i akom vtepova zmysel pre spravodlivos. Na aranrskom oddelen tento lo-gick, ale aj monotnne predvdaten systm neexistoval. Nahradil ho in, ktorho korene tume niekde vdadaizme. oskoro som ho oksil na vlastnej koi. Vyuujci praktickch predmetov Fridrich Moravk bol pedaggdobrho srdca a dobre mierench rn. Tento lskav mu ma z nevysvetlitench prin vyznamenal zvltnoupriazou. Zaumienil si, e budem tdennkom nie tde, nie mesiac, ani nie rok, ale navdy. Neurobil to zo zlo-mysenosti ani zo zaujatosti, urobil to v mene akejsi vyej logiky, ktorej princp bol znmy len jemu. Akoby to ne-stailo, on absurditu si ozvltnil ete tm, e si ma vytrvalo mlil s Marianom Mekom. Ten chudk, ako alontdennk zvyajne schytal prv rany, ktor impulz vneho pna proesora natoko upokojili, e sa mohol u vcelkuzorientovan venova takzvanmu pravmu tdennkovi, ie mne. Dodnes mm pocit, e tdennk tde jepomenovan po mne.Ja som Marian Meko. Marian Meko vdy til po oceneniach. Nenaplnen tby vak starostlivo utajoval a ne-domzal ako naprklad znmy exposlanec: Chlapci, kedy mi u konene t cenu dte? alebo netrsil rei ako istneznmy vtvarnk: T cenu by som si hdam aj zaslil. Naopak, Marian Meko, a by odptal od seba pozornos,vytrvalo rozhlasoval, e tatt nedovouje, aby cenu A-R dostal niekto z jeho lenov. Traja to vyuili a s vidinou cenynaoko A-R opustili. Marian Meko zdanlivo nezitnou organiztorskou aktivitou zmiatol viacerch. Nie vak vetkch.T najcitlivej zachytili jeho vytav pohad. Ten pohad bol nenpadn, ale spsoboval boles. Aj ke to nebolonikdy vysloven, znel: Chlapci, a ja ni? Dolo to tak aleko, e kandidta R. B. dotlail k odmietnutiu ceny s nde-jou, e sa azda dovtpime a cena bude jeho. Vtedy sme ete odolali. Tento rok prvmu praskli ner vy Igorovi Min-rikovi: Ja u ten vytav pohad nemem alej zna, dajme mu konene t cenu. Postupujcim vekom aneresami zoslaben lenovia A-R sa napokon popridvali, vyhrkami presvedili vinu hlasujcich, a ha, tu jevsledok. Takto bud hovori neprajnci.Prajnci vak maj na vec in nzor: Marian Meko dvadsa rokov spene realizuje vlastn mylienku cenu A-RChristmas altruisticky, len pre dobro veci samej. Star sa rok o rok o vetky potrebn nleitosti: zorganizovaniehlasovania, zabezpeenie ubytovania, vyhotovenie originlneho obalu, a po vrchol sezny hodokvas odovzd-vania ceny. Slvnos sa uskutouje v oraz atraktvnejch priestoroch, kde trni priatesk atmosra, tradinkapustnica a in nvykov lahdky. Tento skromn mu rob pokorne vetko, ale s vysokou proesionalitou astoprevyujcou rove rznych rozkoatench intitci. Treba vak zdrazni, e by ako dosiahol tieto vynika jcevsledky bez oddanosti dvoch dievat: Eleny a Laury. Ich podpora je nielen morlna, ale aj praktick. Inak by smesi pochutnvali nanajv tak na zavi noch. A to som, prosm, privemi zjednoduil, lebo Marian Meko starosti dis-krtne zamluje. Naprklad aj, uj, fnancovanie. Ako hovorievali kustdi pri obrazoch starch majstrov: A to dneskankdo udl!Mil priatelia, dvadsa rokov je slun doba. Kto cenu A-R Christmas mal dosta, dostal ju. Ostatn maj monosalej na sebe pracova. Dvadsa rokov sme sa dychtivo pozerali do budcnosti, odteraz sa rovnako dychtivo budemepozera do minulosti. Napokon to vetko je zakdovan v nzve Avance-Retard.

Milan BokayPrhovor odznel pri odovzdvan ceny A-R Christmas 2012 Marianovi Mekovi v piatok 14. decembra 2012

Me is someone else, Im not an author, neither a metaphor: Me isnt my pseudonym.

I am Marian Meko (at least or the moment). It was impossible to reuse the role o being Meko. First owith it by the A-R Revolutionary Committee, and second o all, a certain historical connection predetetask. As a reshman at the School o Applied Arts, Department o Decorative Arts, I was frst regarding wo the classroom, based on alphabetical order. This person is the teachers right-hand man or a week

week the tasks are taken over by someone else. This is how it logically works perhaps at all schools in tinculcate a sense o airness in its students. This logical, but also monotonously predictable system,Department o Decorative Arts. Another system replaced it, whose roots we suspect somewhere enough I tried it mysel. Fridrich Moravk, a teacher o practical subjects, was a good-hearted man blows. For some inexplicable reasons, this kind man dignifed me with his special avor. He set his mind othe classroom not or a week, or a month, or even a year, but orever. He didnt do it out o malice or pin the name o some higher logic, whose principles were only known to him. And as i it wasnt enouthis absurdity by continuously mistaking me with Marian Meko. That poor boy usually earned the frweekly custodian, soothing the impulsive proessor enough to wholly pay attention to the frst one, wthis day, I still have a eeling that Weekmagazine was named ater me.Im Marian Meko. Marian Meko always longed or awards. However, he was careully concealing thesbothering , or example, a well-known ex-parliament member: Boys, when will you fnally give that ahe wasnt dropping words like one unknown artist: I believe I deser ve that prize.On the contrary, Marithe attention away rom himsel, tirelessly claiming, that the A-R rules dont allow any o its members tThree o them utilized it and seemingly let A-R with the vision o an award. Marian Meko conused shis seemingly disinterested organizational activity. But not everyone. The most sensitive ones noticedThe gaze was subtle and painul. Even though it was never spoken out loud, it went: Boys, and what so ar that he orced the candidate R. B. to reject his award, hoping that perhaps wed guess the awathat time we still resisted.This year, Igor Minriks caved in frst: I cant bear that accusing gaze anymore, lets give him that awamembers, weakened by advancing age and vices, fnally joined in, convincing the majority o votersand see, heres the result. This is how the envious will talk.However, the well-wishers have a dierent view on the matter: Marian Meko has been successullyown altruistic idea the A-R Christmas Award, just or the sake o its merits. Year ater year, hes beennecessary matters: rom organizing the voting, ensuring accommodation, the creation o an original copeak the prize-giving east. The celebration is occurring in increasingly attractive rooms, where the ritraditional cabbage soup, and other addictive delicacies dominate. This modest man does everything a high level o proessionalism, oten exceeding the level o various multiarious institutions. Howemphasized that he would hardly achieve these amazing results without the dedication o two girlsTheir support isnt only moral, but also prac tical. Otherwise we would only have roll mops to enjoy. Anit, because Marian Meko secretly conceals his worries. For example, ugh, fnances. As the Custodiansthe paintings o the old masters: Let somebody do it today!Dear riends, twenty years is a decent amount o time. Whoever was supposed to have been given t

Award has already received it. The rest have the option to continue working on themselves. For twentyeagerly looking at the uture. From now on, well eagerly be looking at the past. Ater all, its all encAvance-Retard.

Milan BokayThe speech was heard at the 2012 A-R Christmas Awards Ceremony or Marian Meko on Friday, Dece

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N priate Marian Meko m pocit, e si nezasli krsny darek, ktor mu priniesol Santa Mikul (v netradinejpodobe akejsi rozrenej skupiny vtvarnkov, ktor nemaj ani bradu o sa d prepi zvl u ien --, ani ervenkabt). Niektorm lenom tej vyie spomnanej skupiny prilo na um, e by mohli poiada nejakho Francza,ktor zhodou okolnost by mal by v Bratislave prve vo vhodnom ase, a o ktorom sa predpoklad, e vie reni oakejkovek tme, aby zmietol neelan mindrky riadnym kusom rtoriky: ke nemali in alternatvu, vybrali si

ma, a pouili tak siln argumenty (hrozili, e nedostanem ani gulov polievku, ani rezance, ani makovnk), esom musel prija tto nron lohu.m je to, e t cena (zvltne pomenovan Christmas, ke skupina m celkom normlne ranczske meno Avance-Retard) je tak uniktna a pre ns vetkch tak cenn? /.../ Ke ma mete podozrieva, e nie som v tej otzkecelkom objektvny, tm, e mm kladn predsudky, musm akoby zaa od nuly, teda skr ne som sa s prtomnmiaj neprtomnmi umelcami zoznmil. Nu, je to dos dvno, a neviem si vybavi tak star spomienky vemi ivo,ale viem, e som bol vtedy bolo to koncom sedemdesiatych rokov znechuten flozofou, tak ako bola pestovani uen u ns, a e sasn umenie, o som mal prleitos vidie i zai v Pari, ma vemi nenadchlo.Ke ma Grard Conio, predchdzajci lektor rancztiny, poveril, aby som priniesol katalgy Rudovi Filovi, JooviJankoviovi, Igorovi Minrikovi a Danovi Fischerovi, to, o som u nich videl, ma vemi prekvapilo: vbec som netuil,e modern vtvarn umenie me ete poskytn tak bohat satisakcie ako kedysi dvno obrazy od Kleea, Kan-dinskho, Noldeho Schwittersa, Ernsta i Picassa. Bol som vemi prekvapen nielen tm, e mohli vznikn takdobr veci vo vtedajch pomeroch, ale predovetkm tm, e mohli vbec vznikn tak vynikajce veci. Diela,ktor som zaal objavova v bratislavskch ateliroch neboli len osi vemi originlne, o vzbudilo moju zvedavos,ale... naplnilo ma to. Splnilo to rzne oakvania: umeleck, neumeleck, poetick, humoristick, i, vemi neoak-vanm spsobom flozofck. /.../No dobre: pociova aksi zjavenie je jedna vec, v yjadrova ten pocit dostatone presvedivm spsobom, aby somvzbudil aspo zvedavos alch Franczov, to je troku nronejie. /.../ Ke teraj Franczi neveria niomu, onie je ormulovan vedeckm spsobom, koncipoval som ho ako vysokokolsk prcu. Tak up do toho. Preloilsom Chalupeckho Pbhy, napsal som dlh asi prli dlh eseje o Rudovi Filovi, Joovi Jankoviovi, DanoviFischerovi, Marianovi Mudrochovi, Vclavovi Botkovi, Adriene imotovej, Daliborovi Chatrnom, Kurtovi Gebaue-rovi, Otisovi Laubertovi, a osi syntetickejie o dadaizme v Bratislave. Vznikol hrub spis, ktor som obhjil rok ponvrate do Franczska v jni 1988. Stal som sa doktorom, o ohromne pobavilo mojich bratislavskch priateov,a zaal som rozma nad tm, ako zorganizova vstavy novho umenia v eskoslovensku, ke prila zmena re-imu. O rok sa naskytla prleitos urobi vek vstavu v tyroch priestoroch v Pari. Koncipoval som ju tedro volalo sa to 40 eskch a slovenskch umelcov: 1960 1990, a kad bol, myslm, dobre zastpen --, ale prilohne prv sklamanie: to, o bolo pre ma nesporne asn, nezdalo sa tak parskym novinrom, ktor vstavu po ranczsky povedan sprdli. Sce moja diagnza o slepote ranczskych kritikov bola potvrden, ale radejby som uznal, e by mohli niekedy rozpozna aj umeleck kvalitu./.../ Prve tm, e neuznanie a zabudnutie najvych hodnt je stle rovnak, alebo sn ete horie, je vemi d-leit, e bola zaloen skupina A-R, a e skupina A-R zaloila cenu Christmas. Pri natoen flmu, o ktorom budepotom re, Milan Bokay odporuil, aby som sa nezakol vekch slov: e sa daj potom vystrihn. Tak... ak sa vmzd, e je troku prehnan tvrdi, e ritul odovzdvania ceny Christmas je aksi oza zdravho hodnotenia

vtvarnho umenia v pti sasnho sveta, mete si pre seba vystrihn, o sa zd by neadekvtne vm. Ale ajke stopercentne neshlaste, mem bezpene uzavrie moju re: nehovoriac o tom, e Marian Meko je dobrumelec, ten ktor u dvadsa rokov razantne pome, aby sa aspo raz do roka atamorgna tejto ozy premenilana skutonos, si zasli nau vanos.

Etienne Cornevin, december 2012

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Our riend Marian Meko eels that he doesnt deserve the beautiul present brought to him by Saunconventional orm o an extensive group o artists who dont have beards which can be parin the women or even red coats). Some members o the above-mentioned group had the idea toman who happened to be in Bratislava at the right time, and whom they presumed to be able topic, in order to sweep away unwanted depression with a good piece o rhetoric: when they didn

alternative, they chose me using such strong arguments (threatening that I wouldnt get goulasha poppy seed strudel), that I had to accept this challenging role.How is it, that this prize (curiously called Christmas,even though the group has the normal FrenRetard) is so unique and precious or everyone? // Even though you may suspect that Im notconcerning this issue because o my bias, I have to start rom zero, which is beore I met these prartists. Well, its been a while and I cant recall such old memories too clearly, but I know that I wathe Seventies ed up with the philosophy cultivated and taught here, and not very impressed by art, which I had the opportunity to see and experience in Paris.When Grard Conio, the ormer French teacher, entrusted me with bringing catalogues to Rudol FIgor Minrik, and Dano Fischer, I was very surprised by what I saw in their studios: I had no idea thvisual art could provide such a rich satisaction like paintings by Klee, Kandinskij, Nolde, SchwPicasso did a long time ago. I wasnt only surprised by the act that such good things could bepast circumstances, but especially that such great things could be created at all. The works that I bin the Bratislava studios werent only something very original, arousing my curiosity, but also...umy various expectations: artistic, non-artistic, poetic, humorous, and in a very unexpected way, pWell, okay: to eel some kind o revelation is one thing, to express that eeling in a suiciently coorder to arouse the curiosity o at l east other Frenchmen, is a bit more challenging. /.../ As the modbelieve in anything thats not couched in a scientiic way, I conceived it as university work. LI translated Chalupecks Stories, wrote long perhaps too long essays about Rudol Fila , JoFischer, Marian Mudroch, Vclav Botk, Adriena imotov, Dalibor Chatrn, Kurt Gebauer, Otis Lawhat more synthetically, about Dadaism in Bratislava.I created a thick ile, deending it one yeto France in June 1988. I became a doctor,greatly amusing my Bratislava riends, and started thto organize exhibitions o the new Czechoslovak art, when a change in the regime arrived. A yeaopportunity to make a big exhibition in our Parisian salons.

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