VáclavART = Václavák (Czech familiar expression for Wenceslas Square) + ART = VáclavART
is an artistic project and exhibition organized with the aim to introduce new art into the public space, revitalize it, provoke and bring new impulses into the discussion about the future appearance of Wenceslas Square.
VáclavART wants to encourage young, beginner artists, to give them the opportunity to present their work and talents and to help them in their artistic career.
The second year of the exhibition presents 20 sculptural works from 10 young artists and absolvents mainly from the sculpture studio of the Prague Academy of Fine Arts led by Mr. Lukáš Rittstein.
Patronage of the project was received by the Mayor of Prague Mrs. Adriana Krnáčová. The exhibition is organized by the Association of the New Town of Prague and was founded with the support of the Prague 1 District.
The Association of the New Town of Prague was founded 13 years ago (2005). The Association wants to cultivate and develop Wenceslas Square as a key public space of our country. It takes care about this place and at the same time exerts pressure on the state administration and local municipal authorities to take care of it as well. The members of the association want Wenceslas Square to be a place where residents and visitors of Prague want and like to spend their time. A place both inspiring and dignified, one we can all be proud of.
I heard somewhere that art allows us to live our lives more intensively.
It certainly does work for sculptures…says Lukáš Rittstein, head of the sculptural studio of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, about the exhibition and his students.
(1973) is a Czech sculptor characterized by both abstract and realistic biomorphic sculptures. Rittstein’s sculptural work is permeated by the phenomenon of dialogue between various sculptural approaches and materials. Travels to Papua New Guinea with the painter and photographer Barbora Šlapetová in 1997-2008 had a great influence on Rittstein’s work. For his work he was awarded by the Jindřich Chalupecký Prize (1999) for young talented artists and the Magnesia litera Award (2005) for his book he wrote together with Barbora Šlapetová Why the Night is So Black.
Art historian, curator, pedagogue. Ivona studied History of Arts and Italian language at Faculty of Arts in Prague.
Since 2014 she has been teaching philosophy of artistic expression and art history at the Art & Design Institute in Prague and since 2002 the history of art in the international program USAC at Charles University in Prague. In 1996 she was a visiting teacher at Bard College, Center for Curatorial Studies, New York, USA.
In the years 1991-93 she worked as head of the exhibition program of the Office of the President of the Czech Republic at Prague Castle. She then worked as a curator at the Rudolfinum Gallery in Prague (until 1999) and in 1996 as an external curator at the National Gallery in Prague. She was the curator of the exhibition Escape and Exile in Art for UNHCR at Prague Castle (2002). Since 1983 she has been the curator for over 80 exhibitions.
In 2003 she was a co-founder and then director of Spacium o.p.s., a public benefit organization, focused on artistic projects in the public space.
In the 80s of the 20th century, she has been involved in publishing a samizdat magazine about contemporary art. She is the author of texts in catalogues, magazines, art dictionaries and internet databases on the work of contemporary artists, especially sculptors. In 2009 she published the book In Space 2000, which deals with the creation of contemporary Czech artists working with space.
Art in public space accompanies human civilization since time immemorial. In older times, the arts performed a religious function, or celebrated the sovereign, or presented other power ideas. During the 20th century, the role of art work in public places has changed. The artists came out of their studios on the streets and began to present their personal works, looking for progressive ways of expressing themselves in opposition to conventional artistic practices, and often critically defining their content to the official societal themes of their time.
The work of contemporary artists no longer needs to rely on the closed walls of galleries (mostly attended by selected art critics, closest friends, or admirers of new trends of the emerging artistic expression) but wants to be visible for all.
The VáclavART project gives a chance especially to young artists who are open to experimentation and have the fresh energy to invent unimaginable forms of artistic expression. And they are committed to ripping the standing water and encouraging thinking about who we are, where we are and where we are going. Their sculptures and installations on Wenceslas square are a challenge for all of us.
Ivona Raimanová
Nikola Emma always dwelt on a variety of creative expressions, making artwork a clear choice for her. From the study of ceramics to the design of wooden toys, she went to study sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, a field in which she feels she could finally fully realize herself.
Her body of work is full of surreal often anthropomorphic figures, sometimes grotesque, emotional and other times macabre. Creation often stems from literature, her inner world, and from her amateur interest in psychoanalysis.
Her sculptures displayed at VáclavArt exhibition this year, are parts of new series named Wish You Were Not Here, this project is focused on nowadays collective existential crises. Through her sculptures she is indirectly talking about bizarreness that is present in all dimensions of everyday life and her ghost figures are trying to reflect some common human emotions, such as inner emptiness, passivity, etc.
Nikola Emma has exhibited in various places overseas and in the Czech Republic and studied abroad in Australia and Portugal.
Radek is a student of Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in the sculptural studio of Lukáš Rittstein. His obsession are stories he craftsmansters, or he is freely inspired by the existing ones, which he reworks into his own form. All this, Radek then materializes into artifacts (or objects) so as to bring his inner dream world into the most suitable materials. The process of the whole of his work is understood as an alchemical process, when from the inanimate matter, with the help of the sculpture craft and his vision, emerges what was not, in order for it to exist.
As his crucial breakthrough Radek considers his annual internship at the DAMU (Acting Faculty), where he graduated at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theater – a field of scenography. Here, finally, he has found a solution to move the object more to the subject’s position. He went through the study of making beings (puppets) and their revival so that, in the end, with his newly created friends, they created a puppet performance freely based on the myth about Orpheus and Eurydice. This author’s action has convinced him of the ultimate finding of his very own means of expression, for in the „guided“ objects it is indeed the magic of the recovery and revival of matter.
He is currently continuing to develop and animate his own objects as a form of life that is part of our world. Radek continues to explore the links between the sculpture, the object, and their live animation along with the creation of related author stories in short storyboards.
Anna comes from Jindřichův Hradec. She graduated from SUPŠ Sv. Anežky České in Český Krumlov in the field of stone carving and now, for the third year, she is devoted to sculpture in the studio of Lukáš Rittstein at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. Anna is a co-organizer of the Badespasstotal Symposium in Czech Canada, where she exhibits some of her work each year.
In her work Anna focuses mainly on the figure in motion. The latest works include, for example, a study of the act in the ballet position, made from white cement with limestone, or a lifelong rower of classic gray cement, also with limestone. Rower will be exhibited at the exhibition VáclavART. Both of these sport activities have Anna been doing in the past and are of great importance to her.
Superman.
In moments when most people fail and fall into the abyss of their secure inner, he has heightened senses and a clear head. In the moments of danger when everybody is fleeing hero remains and throws himself in. He is the being of our world, so unique that we must seek for him. Look for him in the people around us, and mainly in ourselves. Because everyone is a hero, even if only for one moment and so then forever.
Man
No mind
One soul / one tool
Motion
One stroke
Shine in the pool
Marie graduated from Václav Hollar’s Art School in Prague and has a bachelor’s degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Brno in the sculpture studio of prof. akad. soch. Michael Gabriel and is currently in a graduate year at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague where she studies in sculptural studio of Mgr. akad. soch. Lukáš Rittstein.
In her work Marie devotes herself to physicality, human body and haptics. Mostly her sculptures are related to the figure or are focused on touch. She likes to attract in the audience the desire to touch her work and have a non-visual perception as well.
At the VáclavART exhibition she will present the figural sculpture „Ester with the Cell Phone“ which will be placed on Wenceslas Square and is an example of a contemporary study of the act and depicts the current modern time when people are eternally with cell phones in their hands. The author points to this in contrast to the traditional sculptural act.
Furthermore, VáclavART will exhibit 7 more Maria´s interior works in the Van Graaf fashion store on Wenceslas Square and one work at The Forum in Jindřišská Street. Here are, for example, „Nude Cube“, „Dice Game“, and „Shame“ arts linking geometric shapes with the imprint of human negatives.
Fascination by objects that surrounded him from an early age inspired the desire to know how things work, how they are put together, and how they create relationships in space. Thanks to previous studies at Czech Technical University of Prague, he confirmed himself that it was the right time to start sculpting, which was increasingly heard in the soul, could not be dulled, and so plunged to the surface and Patrik was absorbed by matter itself.
Patrik’s interdisciplinary ranges allow him to approach sculpture itself from other angles of view. Matter of course of things in today’s civilization is his current theme and he places it in unprecedented contexts.
Patrik is a student of sculpture studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, the school of Lukáš Rittstein.
Adam is a student of the first year at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. At the high school in Ostrava, he had gone through the sculpture field before. His sculptural expression does not yet appear to be specific to a specific subject or to a form of processing. One object can be casted another can be put together in different material, mounted, welded … The objects that have been created so far reflect the author’s very sensitive perception of its surroundings. Reflected, either in a concrete or abstract way, as in the case of the object exhibited at the exhibition VáclavART at The Forum palace.
His work does not end with finishing the objects, sometimes he is also presenting sound, creating the atmosphere with light effects or connects the media during the presentation of his art.
Sculpture is a challenge for Vojtech how to confront himself in an unequal struggle to express his own ideas in public space. Part of the combat strategy is finding new materials and technologies. Therefore, Vojta is looking for, gluing, cutting and grinding paper boxes. Perhaps he will achieve a deserved victory and will be able to sit with conscience on his comfortable couch in the middle of Wenceslas Square.
Ondřej graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts in 2010 in the atelier of Jaroslav Róna. He participated in many group exhibitions and also had several solo exhibitions in the Czech Republic as well as abroad (eg. Rome, Dresden, Minsk). In his work, Ondřej creates visually interesting objects that are understandable to regular viewers as well. The themes he chooses are based on everyday life, so that everyone can put them in their own experience and measures. Ondrej draws his inspiration on his travels around the world. Currently he is working in his studio on objects for the INSTANT LIFE exhibition, which will take place in October/November in Říčany u Prahy.
Michal graduated from graphic design and is currently studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, 4 years in the studio of Martin Mener and 1 year in the sculptural studio of Lukáš Rittstein. Michal specializes in oil painting and sculpture. His painting depicts various subjects from portrait to landscape, from still life in the style of old masters to mystical or contemporary experimental themes.
Michal is fascinated by the illusive impression of reality and his work expresses a symbolic and realistic-mystical character.
1) Vojtěch Trocha
„Sedačka“ – Sofa / karton, zakonzervovaný v laminátu / carton conservated in laminate / 2017
2) Anna Krninská
„Skifař“ – Rower / beton / concrete / 2018
3) Ondřej Oliva
„SVÁTOST (velká)“ – SACRAMENT / kombinovaná technika / combined technique / 2012
4) Radek Mrština
„MYTAGA“ – kovová konstrukce plněná různým materiálem, zalaminovaná / steel construction filled with materials, laminated / 2018
5) Michal Č. Šembera
„Indentikit“ – beton / concrete / 2018
6) Michal Nagypál
„Dušan“ – Dusan / laminát / laminate / 2018
7) Nikola Emma Ryšavá
7a) „Boo A“
7b) „Boo B“
7c) „Boo C“
kov, beton / metal, concrete / 2017
8) Patrik Adamec
„Nález“ – Finding / beton / concrete / 2018
9) Marie Videmanová
„Ester s mobilem“ – Ester with Cell Phone / polyesterová pryskyřice / polyester resin / 2017
10) Marie Videmanová – 1. patro Dámská móda (1st Floor Women´s Fashion)
„Nahá kostka“ – Naked Cube / gaform / 2017
11) Marie Videmanová – 3. patro Pánská móda (3rd Floor Men´s Fashion)
„Stud“ – Shame / gaform / 2018
12) Marie Videmanová – 2. patro Dámská móda (2nd Floor Women´s Fashion)
„Neživá hebkost“ – Non-Living Softness / sádra, králičí kůže / plaster, rabbit skin / 2016
13) Marie Videmanová – Přízemí u vchodu (Ground Floor By the Entrance)
„Vlna Kristína“ – Wave Kristina / sádra / plaster / 2016
14) Marie Videmanová – Přízemí (Ground Floor)
„Smysl“ – Meaning / sádra, peří / plaster, feathers / 2016
15) Marie Videmanová – -1. patro (-1. Floor)
„Schoulená“ – Curled Up / sádra, peří / plaster, feathers / 2016
16) Marie Videmanová – -1. patro (-1. Floor)
„Torzo“ – Torso / sádra, peří, králičí kůže / plaster, feathers, rabbit skin / 2013
17) Marie Videmanová – Výloha v recepci (Shopping Window at Reception)
„Kostková hra“ – Cube Game / gaform / 2017
18) Adam Tenora – Recepce (The Reception)
„Bez názvu“ – „Without a Name“ / kov / steel / 2018
Monika Vlková
Sdružení Nového Města pražského, z.s.
+420 603 46 00 76
Monika.Vlkova@centrumprahy.cz.cz
Jan Adámek
Sdružení Nového Města pražského, z.s.
+420 724 070 539
Jan.Adamek@centrumprahy.cz