Sculptures
on the Wenceslas square
Sep 10 - Oct 7, 2019
2019
About
VáclavART = Václavák (Czech familiar expression for Wenceslas Square) + ART = VáclavART
is an artistic project and exhibition organized with the aim to introduce new young 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 third year of the exhibition presents 26 sculptural works from 12 young artists and absolvents mainly from the sculpture studio of the Prague Academy of Fine Arts led by Mr. Lukáš Rittstein.
Thus, Wenceslas Square will be filled with statues for four weeks (from September 10 to October 7, 2019). The main part of the exhibition will be in the central strip in the upper half of the square, some sculptures will be also installed in the passage U Stýblů, VAN GRAAF fashion store, Hotel Jalta and palace The Forum.
The exhibition is organized by the Association of the New Town of Prague with the support of the Prague 1 District.
Organiser
The Association of the New Town of Prague
The Association of the New Town of Prague was founded 14 years ago (2005). The Association wants to cultivate and develop city center and mainly 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 city center and 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.
The association represents citizens and important companies, shops, banks, hotels, restaurants, palaces and residents based on and around Wenceslas Square. The main mission of the association is to care for this unique place and its development. Its members recognize that an integral part of a functional society is its civic sector which, in cases of misdirection of public affairs, is to be the interpreter of the attitudes of the general public, draw attention to the problems and contribute to redress in cases where state interference is proving inadequate or harmful. In particular, a functioning civil society motivates citizens to participate actively in the functioning of society, in decision-making or problem-solving, and strengthens their awareness of belonging and responsibility for public affairs as “their affairs”.
Patron of the exhibition
„The story, the vision, the idea that gets the physical dimension is a kind of miracle. The means of expression are evolving. New technologies, concept ual art, … enrich creations. But the statue itself is still irreplaceable because a passion for the mass and material cannot disappear in people… Wenceslas Square is a kind of „arena of reality“. This place will quickly show what pieces of art can endure, live without explanations and enrich the environment. This incredibly important experience is also an exceptional opportunity for young sculptors to present themselves to the general public,“ says Lukáš Rittstein, head of the sculptural studio of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, about the exhibition and his students.
Lukáš Rittstein
(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.
PhDr. Ivona Raimanová, curator
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.
Foreword of the curator
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 artwork 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
Authors
MgA. Nikola Emma Ryšavá, DiS
(*1990, Praha)
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.
As a fresh graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, she will showcase sculptures that are part of her diploma work named Once Upon a Time. In this project, she focused on reinterpreting gender roles and stereotypes using children’s literary sources, and playfully reflected negative social conventions with her distinctive sculptural voice.
Nikola Emma has exhibited in various places overseas and in the Czech Republic, and studied abroad in Australia and Portugal.
Anna Krninská
(*1996, Jindřichův Hradec)
She graduated from SUPŠ Sv. Anežka České in Český Krumlov in the field of stone sculpture, then spent three years at the Academy of Fine Arts in the studio of Lukáš Rittstein and now has her fourth year already in the studio of Vojtěch Míča, where she transferred.
Anna is a co-organizer of the Badespasstotal symposium festival in Czech Canada, where she exhibits some of her works every year. In her work she deals mainly with figure in motion.
For example, the latest works include a ballet-acted, white-cemented limestone or a lifetime sculptor you could see at VaclavART last year.
This year he will exhibit a statue of Biker cut into a sandstone block and a series of reliefs with the same motif. In the past, Anna has devoted or continues to devote all these activities to her and is of great importance to her.
Radek Mrština
(*1990, Pardubice)
An artist whose approach and work is more alchemical than artistic. In faith in finding the imaginatively – narrative Philosopher´s Stone, he uses all techniques and technologies. From drawing, carving, modelling, casting, photography….
Radek is the founder of his solo project „Tupilak“, based on the inspiration of artists-shamans of natural nations. With his own craft techniques and diverse material, he creates so-called „force objects“.
He finds inspiration not only in mythology or fairy tales of various cultures and ethnicities from all over the world, but also, for example, from the transgressive horror films of Clive Barker and the timeless mage magician H.P. Lovecraft. He also advocates the theory of archetype and the collective unconsciousness of C.G. Jung.
In summary of these various information Radek follows the process of formulating his own stories. These are then imprinted on sculptures, puppets, storyboards, arranged photos, or a separate handwriting with illustrations. Together with the self-made actors, they founded „Archetypes Toys“ to explore object and art theatre.
Radek is currently entering the master’s degree at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Michal Čeloud Šembera
(*1987, Brno)
Today is Sunday so I sit in a boat.
I don’t know how long I’ve been here. But I know it´s been a long time.
If I should say what I feel, it is the light and its spectrum. Wind and how it speaks to me with its deep voice. And the water, it has a big impact on my mood.
I’m sitting in a boat, it´s getting dark and I´m dreaming of flying.
MgA. Marie Videmanová
(*1992, Mělník)
Marie graduated from the Václav Hollar Secondary School of Arts in Prague, then studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Brno in the studio of Michal Gabriel and has now finished sculptural, master’s studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, Lukáš Rittstein studio.
In her work she devotes herself to corporeality, human body imprint and haptics. Mostly, her sculptures are tied to a figure or are focused on touch. She likes to awaken the viewer’s desire to touch her work and have a different than visual perception.
At the VaclavART exhibition, Marie will present a part of her diploma thesis entitled „Interior“. In the Van Graaf fashion store on Wenceslas Square you will be able to see her statue of „Petr“ (basketball player) a pop art mood statue made of artificial marble symbolizing a lamp and sculpture „Andrea“ in white artificial marble representing a table.
Adam Tenora
(*1998, Studénka)
Adam is studying his third year at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts in the sculpture studio of Lukáš Rittstein.
With his exhibited work Adam further explores (for him yet) undiscovered boundaries of sculpture. This time he is uncovering the shores of post conceptualism. His poetic couple of a woman and a cat that is not at all biased as it might sound. Figures are distinctive, undistracted and very fine in the workmanship. The work also combines romantic undertones of the 19th century with irony and provocativeness. Woman, abundance, nature, motherhood, game, respect.
Adam´s works are always connected in some way with nature. In the long term he presents elements of human and nature contact, their possible contacts and ways of communication. Monologue of one or the other party or harmonious or violent dialogue.
What goes around comes around…
MgA. Markéta Kolářová
(*1993, Svitavy)
Markéta is a painter and this year´s graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. In her painting work Markéta deals with the landscape and explores its subtle component. Her paintings are windows to real or dreamy places and capture fleeting moments and experience in a landscape.
Her current work takes note of the process of image creation and deals with a certain affective approach. This painting process carries the features of performative gestural painting for which is typical emotional, uncontrolled way of working. This approach is led by the exploration of the landscape theme and the search for a suitable painting form for materializing transience. The effort to capture the moment in the landscape or the idea alternates with the interest in the process of creation, associated with the movement and energy of the body.
Previously, in her paintings Markéta was using human figure, specifically female figure, to convey the story to the viewer. However, the painting process began to push the figure out or rather absorb it and transform it into the landscape itself. During this process, the sculptures of the shape of a woman’s body began to form, as if they were fragments or fragments of the image. The human figure has transformed from the painting into a statue but is still a part of it.
Dagmar Morová, DiS.
(*1990, Praha)
Dagmar graduated from the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Turnov. She is currently a student of the Academy of Fine Arts in the studio of Vojtěch Míča. In her work, Dagmar mainly deals with figuration.
As part of the VaclavART exhibition, she presents two statues of horses that are a reference to her family’s history. The art is called Song about a Horse. In 2018 she performed a memorial plaque of Jan Palach at the University of Economics in Prague.
Jakub Dominec
(*1992, Praha)
Jakub Dominec studies 4th year at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague at the studio of Intermedial Confrontation by Jiří David, where he focuses mainly on painting and drawing.
In 2018 he applied for an internship at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lukáš Rittstein’s sculpture studio, where he was given the opportunity to work with a new medium that he could get to know more. The possibility of experimenting and the opportunity of new materials was a big challenge for Jakub, so this is the direction he would like to pursue in the long term. His experience with painting is now reflected in the creation of his sculptures.
At the VaclavART exhibition Jakub presents a statue called Cyborg II., which deals with the issue of social minorities, such as cyborgs. He is closely related to this subject, claiming that he is also a cyborg. He is currently very interested in various human modifications and experiments that give us a new idea of where the human body can move.
He constantly moves around existential questions, seeking answers to what is and what will be. He would like to pursue this topic in the future and discover new possibilities of uses.
Radek Směták
(*1993, Zlín)
Radek is a student of the Academy of Fine Arts in the sculpture studio of Lukáš Rittstein. He is searching new ways of art expression with regard to the development of art and aesthetics and at the same time Radek seeks new connections and links of art culture acceptable in contemporary society. He completed a one-year internship at the Studio of Intermedia of Milena Dopitová, where he got to know the possibilities of expression of intermedia and new approaches and functions of the media as such. In his works Radek further expands this information and acquires increasing artistic overlap. He dares to search behind creation of objects and sculptures, strives to create his own distinctive style.
Radek has been working with topics of close perception, memorizing in context going beyond psychology and beyond Western culture. His deep inspirational source is omniscience in Japanese contemporary culture, and he gets inspired by the urgent need to cope with the advantage of foreign culture.
Aneta Filipová
(*1991 Hradec Králové)
Aneta is studying in the 5th year in Lukáš Rittstein´s studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. For several years, she has been dealing with the subject of cities and everything they contain. Her sculptures include the interconnection of various urban sub-themes, such as the perception of the human figure as a moving architecture in life, to subcultural issues of individuals or groups. Aneta perceives cities as morphological organisms that best form the actual reflection of society. Underground nooks are the most interesting for her, so in 2018 she went to an internship in New York where she found content for her future work and sculpture.
In New York she was inspired by a meeting with performer Jahmal B. Golden. She got interested in the topic of transgender, which is very open in NYC compared to the Czech Republic. For a deeper insight she began to associate with people from the Czech trans community, which led to the discovery of many unresolved legislative issues.
The statue Jahmal is a real interconnection of both countries and at the same time their differences. It is a metaphor for the complicated finding of one’s identity. Accepting oneself, transforming and at the same time internal struggle, when one does not fit into one’s own body. Stitching with artificial leather symbolizes the surgical process.
MgA. Linda Wrong
(*1989, Nový Jičín)
Linda works with modern mysticism in her work. Through the interdependence of the relationships, she finds answers to existential questions about the meaning of life, decadence, and the pressure of today’s materialistic times on the individual.
The often-repetitive motif of the animal and the search for identity through the animal is part of the image of existential continuity. The animal is used as an attribute, inducing associations not only from dreams and myths, but also from personal life. By defining one’s own identity, subjects from everyday life, but also influenced by dreams and subconscious choices, Linda selects symbols and gestures that she turns against their history and classical interpretation. These symbols and gestures are freely transformed, altered, unified, and subsequently reformed and reconstructed into a new grouping emanating from the potency of self. It is mainly about finding mysticism and balance that represents the author’s perception of now and here.
LOCATION OF SCULPTURES ON THE WENCESLAS SQUARE
1) Markéta Kolářová
1a) Assimilation 1
1b) Assimilation 2
aminate, concrete, 2019
2) Michal Čeloud Šembera
2a) Bollard
2b) Bollard
2c) Bollard
2d) Bollard
2e) Bollard
concrete, plants, 2019
3) Anna Krninská
Biker, limestone, 2019
4) Nikola Emma Ryšavá
Wolf Girl, metal, 2019
5) Radek Mrština
5a) Fetish 1-2
5b) Fetish 1-2
wood, textile, polyester resin, 2019
6) Jakub Dominec
Cyborg II., laminate, 2019
7) Infostand for exhibition
8) Nikola Emma Ryšavá
Dialogue A, concrete, wood, metal, 2019
9) Dagmar Morová
Song about a Horse, laminate, concrete, 2019
10) Aneta Filipová
JAHMAL, laminate, metal, imitation leather, 2019
11) Radek Směták
Sakuramaja, wood, steel, concrete, resin, 2019
PASSAGE U STÝBLŮ
Václavské náměstí 28
12) Adam Tenora
Hlaew, hay, laminate, ceramics, metal, 2019
FASHION HOUSE VAN GRAAF
Václavské náměstí 17
13) Marie Videmanová – 1st floor, Accessories
Andrea, white concrete, glass, 2019
14) Marie Videmanová – 2nd floor, Shoes, sport
Petr, artificial marble, 2019
HOTEL JALTA
Václavské náměstí 45 - Reception
15) Linda Wrong – by the Hotel´s entrance
Dušan, conrete, 2019
16) Linda Wrong – by the Hotel´s entrance
Divine Dušan, concrete, 2019
17) Linda Wrong – Reception Desk
17a) AYAM BANKOG, laminate, 2018
17b) AYAM KATE, white laminate, 2018
17c) AYAM CEMANI, black laminate, 2018
THE FORUM
Jindřišská 3 (corner of Wenceslas Square) – Reception
18) Nikola Emma Ryšavá – by the window
Dialogue B, laminate, wood, textile, 2019
19) Anna Krninská – wall by the Reception Desk
Bikeers, patinated plaster, 2019
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