1.6. — 30.9.2015

Sculpture Line
Prague 2015

Fragility, energy and meditation; these are the attributes of the statue which is based on a figure of Buddha sitting in the lotus position. From a distance, we can see a transparent silhouette of the figure; on closer observation we notice individual little figures of sitting Buddhas. At the busy place where the cultures and people from around the world meet, the sculpture emanates the peace and inspires us to slow down, calm down and contemplate.

The object enriches the Botanical Gardens with a certain industrial element which – thanks to the combination with natural material – gracefully harmonizes with the surroundings. The sitting figures, made of steel hollow sections, contain the fragments of trees from the Botanical Garden which were
knocked down by storm, and thus the sculptures are even more authentically linked to the place; the connection being also emphasized by an intense scent of pine logs.

A concrete family of fantastical creatures from another world, wandering in the shade of pine trees, is inspired by the world of bacteria which are invisible to the human eye. However, when zoomed into the human scale, they force viewers to reflect on their own size and/or magnificence.

A statue, running or speeding off, is a symbol of the premises on which it is located. A fragment of the bobsled is transferred into a surreal level where it is carried to the intended destination (the track?) by two pairs of legs.

Regarding the form and size, the primary inspiration for the installation emerged from Megalodon, a prehistoric shark. The author himself perceives the object as a shape archetype that can be found throughout the animal and plant world. Location in the pool induces stress and uncertainty (what is happening beneath the surface?), adding dynamics to the statue. Superficially clear shape takes on many forms, including the night one, and provokes the imagination of viewers passing by.

Coloured glazed ceramics on a reinforced concrete shell. A utility ceramic sofa with organic shapes brings playfulness and optimism into a given public space. In the busy street full of hustle and bustle, the sculpture gives an impression of an island of peace and good cheer, a place where you can “recharge your batteries” with a brief rest.

The statue is a paraphrase of the famous Thinker by sculptor Auguste Rodin. Seated on a high chair, covered with silhouettes of stylized figures in various positions, the Thinker symbolically represents consciousness of all mankind.

Monolithic coloured heads carry references to different ethnics; they demonstrate the beauty and diversity of cultures as well as the ability to live together and mutually enrich one another despite the advancing globalization and associated blurring.

The statues of the Explorers originated as a spatial drawing captured by strokes of aluminium hoses gradually fixed into the final shape by a modelling epoxy resin. Each of the three figures is in a different phase of movement; together they form a dynamic whole. They make an illusion of walking on water, exploring the space between the Functionalist Manes building and Neo Renaissance National Theatre. Their reflection on the river surface moves the installation to a higher level in comparison with conventional, “static” presentation in the gallery.

A theme and subtle storyline of the entire exhibition are the fantasies of everyday life of “a sculptress on parental leave”. The exhibition is conceived as an intersection of three sculptural units, partially linked to each other, but also representing a different approach to the material. The mere change of the lighting conditions or a shift in the viewing angle either highlights a partially transparent sculptural drawing, or transforms objects into full-bodied shapes. The central unit of the exhibition is the “Big laundry” washing line with the figurative composition made of woven wire mesh.

The composition of giant concrete pillows transforms the courtyard into a cosy resting area.

The whole situation is overseen by “Laundresses” – sculptural group of two sitting girls in conversation, as if sharing their secrets.

The sculptures by Eva Roučka are brilliantly modelled figures of mostly plump shapes, for which expression is the crucial thing. Through them the author documents human pride, pomposity, animality as well as the pure joy of life. Swimmer Mářa is an example of a vivid, almost grotesque expression of the feeling of joy or stubbornness when submersing into water, with the moment converted into glazed clay.

The artist created her self-portrait using only the so-called tactile mathematics, which is a system enabling the sightless to perceive the proportions of the surrounding world. Thus, she “watched” her curves and shapes by touch and transformed them into fireclay. It is fascinating to observe how she deliberately highlighted the parts of her face which she perceived as distinctive and without
any visual control she managed to convert the features into the resulting sculpture.

Up from the depths and drawing a breath. A fleet of submarines. A fin. A machine. Exhaling.

A sitting figure, stylized into lines and Cubist shapes, consisting of a structure of steel hollow sections which the author has been using in his work since 2002 (the series “Flood Tourists“, where the steel sections were complemented with fragments of driftwood). The sculpture nicely contrasts with the surrounding greenery and follows the geometric form of the background architecture.

The title of the work refers to the term used for a camera tripod, or a three-legged stand. However, the installation, compiled from enlarged and stylized fragments of human bones, also gives the viewer an impression of a fingerprint of civilization from another world. The shape of the bones is intentionally enhanced to give an impression of being even more delicately built and higher.

Coloured glazed ceramics on a reinforced concrete shell. This is a new approach to street furniture. An unconventionally conceived utility sculpture is an inspiration for both architects and city councillors. A ceramic chair does not look dull and it is not a serial product, either. Thanks to its rounded shapes it is playful and original, and rightfully attracts the attention of passers-by.

Thanks to the author’s creativity, the old, liquid gas tank has gained an entirely new, aesthetic dimension. A cut-through structure based on the shape of a star has conjured up a kind of a steel lace on the surface of a discarded steel tank, adding to the entire object a semblance of fragility. The interior space is as important as the exterior, allowing vistas through the mass to create new perspectives of perception not only of the statue itself but also of the surrounding area.

A common utility material, an old industrial water tank, gains a whole new expression and aesthetics through the author‘s creative work.

The torus (Anuloid) is a surface of revolution generated by revolving a circle around the axis that lies in the same plane and has no common points, as defined in mathematics. The artificial or sculptural thinking involves a fascination with shapes and their conversion into non-traditional contexts of dimensions and materials. Being installed in an inclined axis, the object disturbs by almost levitating in the space and provokes the imagination by circular framing of a through-view of the surrounding world.

A column, statue or object rotating and rising to the sky. Plumbing pipe elbows playing a game of mutually mingling shapes, forming geometric and, especially, aesthetic structure. Fascination by resulting substance that works by itself as well as in a dialogue with architecture.

Objects, inspired by a “one-stroke” school drawing, are materialized into 3D objects and transformed into monumental proportions. The drawing is carried in space, using steel components and a welder instead of a school pencil which shaped the original drawings.

A sculpture or a piece of architecture? A minimized high-life housing space is modestly equipped with only the most basic features. If you want to visit it, you have to overcome a four-metre rope ladder. The element of luxury is then included in the view and privacy offered by this object.