PRESS RELEASE
The Waking Dragon
Contemporary Inspiration from East-Asian Art
Author and curator:Petra Polláková
Accompanying programmeEducation Department,Collection of Oriental Art
Venue:KinskýPalace, Staroměstské nám. 12, Praha 1
Date:KinskýPalace: 5 September – 7 December 2014
KinskýPalace Stable: 5 September – 23 November 2014
The Collection of Oriental Art at the National Gallery in Pragueis presenting a unique show devoted to contemporary art with East-Asian influences, which is taking place in three exhibition halls of KinskýPalace. The dragon is a central symbol in East-Asian culture and represents positive (yang) energy and creative force. For this reason it was chosen as the symbol for this dynamic and innovative exhibition showcasing a selection of work by Czech and East-Asian artists living in Prague. The focus is on the young and middle-aged generations of artists and work that has originated since the year 2000. Many of the works on show were created directly for this exhibition and some of the artists drew their inspiration from particular pieces of work in the Collection of Oriental Art.
Exhibiting artists: Petr Bařinka, Filip Černý, Patrik Hábl, Markéta Hlinovská, Veronika Holcová, Vojtěch Horálek, Anna Hulačová, Petr Hůza, Song Mi Kim, Tomáš Kubačka, Marie Ladrová, Pavel Mrkus, Stanislav Müller, Radka Müllerová, Michal Nesázal, Tets Ohnari, Eva Pelechová, Dana Sahánková, Veronika Slámová, Jiří Straka, Gabriel Vach, Hana Vinklárková, Diana Winklerová, Dalibor Worm
Special guests: Dragan Stojčevski, Petr Písařík
East-Asian art, which here is taken to refer to Japanese, Chinese, and Korean art, is a source of inspiration for artists in two primary, pronounced ways. On one hand, through a fascination with traditional art, culture, and spiritual thought, and on the other through the influence of the current international boom in Japanese pop culture. In the work of some artists these two streams of inspiration converge.
The heart of the exhibition is the exhibit in Kinský Palace Stable, where recent work by almost two dozen contemporary Czech and foreign artists is on display. The exhibition features members of the emerging generation of artists for whom East-Asian art represents an important stimulus for much of their work, as well as established artists and prominent figures in the contemporary art scene, such as Michal Nesázal, who for the exhibition has prepared several new paintings from his latest series Quantum Physics, artistVeronika Holcová, who let herself be inspired by Japanese works in the Collection of Oriental Art, and artist Jiří Straka and his outstanding monumental ink paintings that innovatively tie in with the tradition of Chinese ink painting.
Other important figures from the domestic and international art scenes include multimedia artists Pavel Mrkus andStanislav Müllerwho are presenting video projections inspired by Japanese art and spiritual thought. Special note shouldbe made of the brand new videos and large-format prints centred on StanislavMüller’s iconic Mirror Man figure, which he created many years ago inspired by Japanese and American comics. Mirror Man is currently travelling through Japan and his latest adventures on this journey are being presented atThe Waking Dragonexhibition.
Among artists from the emerging generation on show at the exhibition, mention should be made at the very least of Vojtěch Horálek and his original workSamurai Armourand sculptorAnna Hulačová, who takes inspiration from Buddhist iconography and contemporary pop culture.Also worth noting are the objects by Diana Winklerová, who has long drawn influences from traditional Chinese and Japanese visual arts.
The exhibition at Kinský Palace Stable is also presenting the latest work by the outstanding Korean glass artist Song MiKim, who has been working successfully in the Czech art scene for many years and whose work in unique ways combines Czech and Korean influences. Another prominent figure is Japanese multimedia artist Tets Ohnari,
who for this exhibition allowed himself to be inspired by the traditional Japanese masks in the Collection of Oriental Art.
Tied in with the exhibition in Kinský Palace Stable are the interventions by contemporary artists located in the permanent Art of Asia exhibition on the first floor of Kinský Palace, which draw their inspiration directly or indirectly from the early East-Asian art in the Collection of Oriental Art of the National Gallery in Prague.An interesting complement to the traditional media shown here are the video projections by Pavel Mrkus andMichal Nesázal. The permanent exhibition also features work by prominent ceramic artists, which are presented in direct confrontation with traditional Japanese or Chinese ceramics in the Collection of Oriental Art.
The exhibition also includes a group installation titled theDecadent Oriental Salonlocated in the Short-Term Exhibitions hall on the second floor of KinskýPalace, which represents a humorous take on the concept of the classic oriental salons found in many Czech chateaux and palaces. The Decadent Oriental Salon is a space where both artists and visitors can unleash their imagination, and it is also intended to serve as place where weary exhibition visitors can rest their feet and sit down on a historical ‘divan’ and watch a short animated film inspired by Japanese comics or a video showing excerpts of performances inspired by the traditional figure of the Japanese geisha. And there is even a ‘collection of oriental curiosities and mysterious erotic objects’. The pride of the salon is its original ‘collection of painted oriental porcelain’.
To accompany the exhibition the National Gallery Press is preparing a publication titledThe Waking Dragon: Contemporary Inspiration from East-Asian Artfor release in the autumn of 2014, which as well as work by the artists on show at the exhibition will also present work in the field of Czech art jewellery and contemporary fashion inspired by East-Asian art. The exhibition will also be accompanied by an educational programme featuring lectures for individuals and groups (schools), guided tours, and thematic creative workshops. KinskýPalace will also host a ‘Day of Japanese Pop Culture’ on Saturday, 25 October.
Exhibition partners:Embassy of Japan in the Czech Republic, Japan Foundation, Nomura Foundation, Yoshino Gypsum Art Foundation
Main media partner of the NG:Česká televize
Media partners of the NG: Český rozhlas, Prague Events Calendar, Anopress IT, Classic FM, Aktuálně, Ekonom
Partner of the NG:Railreklam
Technology partner of the NG:Samsung
Admission to the exhibition in KinskýPalace Stable:
Basic 50 CzK
Reduced30CzK
Family70CzK
Admission to the exhibition in KinskýPalace Stable + KinskýPalace:
Basic 170 CzK
Reduced100 CzK
Family 220 CzK
Press release 4 September 2014
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