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„Knives are useless to the dead“ Jan Hísek

June 11 – June 28, 2008

Exhibit curator
Radek Wohlmuth
Music
Sylva Smejkalova

The new art and graphic exhibit of Jan Hisk, entitled Island Myths, came about during the publication of the book of the same name. Fifteen illustrations are introduced along with suggestions for the book and its design, all of which are created by a non-typical oil-on-canvas technique. There are also five free standing paintings made during the past two years.

Another odddity is that the entire “literary” work, with one exception, was painted in black and white; and the format actually corresponds to the size of the pages. Some of the artwork, which is close to Hisk’s nature, freely appears to be dreamlike, whereas others depict actual creatures, apparitions, elves or animals, plants, sacred stones and mythical objects.

Even though this deals with paintings that are tied to the text, they preserve the quality and character of their free creation. An effect that is supported by the combined installation of “literary” and “non-literary” canvases.

Radek Wohlmuth

Mandragoras
Mandragoras
oil, canvas, 2007
30x20 cm

Marbendill
Marbendill
oil, canvas, 2007
30x20 cm