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May 23 to June 20, 2008

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Galerie “Kruh” in Ostrava – Assorted Images: Members of the Gallery’s Exhibition Committee during the debate and the review of the proposal for the exhibition projects; fragments from various exhibitions and their openings. Images courtesy of the Galerie “Kruh” in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Fragments:
Contemporary Czech Artists from Ostrava

The exhibition of 14 Czech Artists from Ostrava in Calgary

Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic, however, it is the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. It is also known as a major academic and cultural centre in Czech Republic with countless architectural historic monuments, numerous public art galleries, musea, theatres, and the internationally renowned Janáček Philharmonic. Known as the “steel heart of the republic” during the communist era of Czechoslovakia, Ostrava and its region has undergone major political, economic and cultural changes since the “Velvet Revolution” of 1989. This new political climate has allowed the artists freedom of expression as well unlimited travel and exhibition opportunities outside the country.  This situation has resulted in a number of collaborations and partnerships with the international visual arts and design communities, including the visual arts community in Calgary, Canada.

The exhibition “Fragments” - showcasing the works by 14 leading and renowned artists from Ostrava and its region -  stems directly from the very successful presentation of the exhibition “Images & Reflections: The Artists’ Circle of Calgary” at the Galerie “Kruh” in Ostrava in the late summer of 2007.  This mutual partnership between the Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts in Calgary and the Galerie “Kruh” in Ostrava, as well as between the Artists’ Circle of Calgary and the Sdruženi  výtvarných umělců a teoretiků Ostrava (Union of Artists and Art Theoreticians of Ostrava) provides an excellent opportunity for cultural/artistic exchange, promotion and cross-cultural understanding between the respected artistic communities on the both sides of the Atlantic, and promotes a better awareness of the ranger and vitality of contemporary Czech art. This “undivided cultural highway” between Calgary and Ostrava is an inspirational example for collaboration and exploration of the diversity and richness of contemporary visual culture in our respective communities.

The Union of Artists and Art Theoreticians of Ostrava was founded in 1990 as the independent association of the Union of Artists of the Czech Republic, and is also an active member of numerous international art organizations and collectives.  Since its inception, the Union has organized over 500 art solo and group art exhibition projects, not only in Ostrava, but also across the Czech Republic and at major art centres in Europe. The exhibition “Fragments” – to be presented at the Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts in Calgary - is the first presentation of Ostrava’s visual arts community overseas.

Jaromír E. Brabenec – Elated Eclipse, 2008; Plexi-glass. Image courtesy of the artist. Reflecting on the title selected for this exhibition, “Fragments” encompasses just a small fraction of creative potential of our visual arts community in Ostrava.  No single style has been espoused in this exhibition project: the basic thesis for the exhibition was to showcase the range, quality and diversity of the visual arts in Ostrava and its region – analogous to the state of the arts in the rest of the Czech Republic, and reflecting individual discussion by each individual artists on the aspect of realism, post-cubism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, post-painterly abstraction, conceptual art, post-modernism, multi-media installations and new technology in visual arts.

Eva Damborská – The Secret of Life, 2006; textile, paper, mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.The exhibition “Fragments” presents 43  works by 14  well-known and respected artists from Ostrava and its region: Karel Haruda, Rudolf Štafa, Jaroslav Rusek, Vratislav Varmuža, Jiří Holík, Jaromír Brabenec, Bedřich Pěknica, Michaela Terčová, Jana Šmolková, Tereza Krčíková, Jan Teisler, Jiří Moldřík, Eva Damborská, and Gabriela Nováková.  All of the artists are the active members of the Union of Artists and Art Theoreticians of Ostrava.

These 14 representatives of Ostrava’s visual arts, architecture and design community were selected for their outstanding contributions as productive, innovative and celebrated professional artists, architects, designers, and art educators, whose work has left a tangible mark across the Czech Republic and in Europe. Through their art they provide viewers with a range and richness of visual perspectives and visual experiences, each speaking to us in a different, yet expressive way.

Vratislav Varmuža
Exhibition Curator
Union of Artists and Art Theoreticians of Ostrava
Ostrava, Czech Republic

Karel Haruda – Credo (based on 8th Symphony by Gustav Mahler), 2007; mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist. Jiří Holík – A Pilgrim, 2006; mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.
Tereza Krčíkova – Suffering, 2004; oil on wood. Image courtesy of the artist. Jiří Moldřík – Wings, 2008; digital print. Image courtesy of the artist.
Gabriela Nováková – Urban Grid, 2003; drawing and wash on board. Image courtesy of the artist. Bedřich Pěknica – Nude, 2007; oil on canvas. Image courtesy of the artist.
Jaroslav Rusek – Fragments of Archives, 2008; collage, monotype. Image courtesy of the artist. Jana Šmolková – Stranger, 2005; collage. Image courtesy of the artist.
Rudolf Štafa – Hussar, 2002; forged steel. Image courtesy of the artist. Jan Teisler – Untitled Composition, n.d.; mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.
Michaela Terčová – Globalization, 2007-2008; artist’s own technique. Image courtesy of the artist. Vratislav Varmuža – Self-Portrait, 2007; digital print. Image courtesy of the artist.

List of Images (left to right, top to bottom):

  1. Galerie “Kruh” in Ostrava – Assorted Images:  Members of the Gallery’s Exhibition Committee during the debate and the review of the proposal for the exhibition projects; fragments from various exhibitions and their openings.  Images courtesy of the Galerie “Kruh” in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

  2. Jaromír E. Brabenec – Elated Eclipse, 2008; Plexi-glass. Image courtesy of the artist.

  3. Eva Damborská – The Secret of Life, 2006; textile, paper, mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.

  4. Karel Haruda – Credo (based on 8th Symphony by Gustav Mahler), 2007; mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.

  5. Jiří Holík – A Pilgrim, 2006; mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.

  6. Tereza Krčíkova – Suffering, 2004; oil on wood. Image courtesy of the artist.

  7. Jiří Moldřík – Wings, 2008; digital print. Image courtesy of the artist.

  8. Gabriela Nováková – Urban Grid, 2003; drawing and wash on board. Image courtesy of the artist.

  9. Bedřich Pěknica – Nude, 2007; oil on canvas. Image courtesy of the artist.

  10. Jaroslav Rusek – Fragments of Archives, 2008; collage, monotype. Image courtesy of the artist.

  11. Jana Šmolková – Stranger, 2005; collage. Image courtesy of the artist.

  12. Rudolf Štafa – Hussar, 2002; forged steel. Image courtesy of the artist.

  13. Jan Teisler – Untitled Composition, n.d.; mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist.

  14. Michaela Terčová – Globalization, 2007-2008; artist’s own technique. Image courtesy of the artist.

  15. Vratislav Varmuža – Self-Portrait, 2007; digital print. Image courtesy of the artist.
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