Jan Kotík: Absence of Conformism
Current exhibition
Overview
The exhibition Jan Kotík — Absence of Conformism, running from May 26 to July 9, presents a unique overview of the work of one of the most distinctive Czech artists of the 20th century.
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with Artefin and Petr Kotík and offers a rare opportunity to view works from the artist's estate, to which the gallery has exclusive access.
Jan Kotík was one of those figures who long resisted simple categorization and the expectations of his time. The exhibition's title, Absence of Conformism, is therefore not merely a formal designation but an accurate reflection of his creative stance. Kotík's work is characterized by a constant search, a fluidity of expression, and a rejection of artistic and social complacency.
The exhibition will feature works created over a broad time span, from 1939 to 2002. Visitors will have the opportunity to follow the evolution of the artist's thinking across more than six decades. Various techniques and media will be represented-paintings, sculptural objects, and works on paper. The exhibition will provide not only a view of individual works but also of the full spectrum of Kotík's visual language. Several of the artworks in the exhibition were part of the Jan Kotík Retrospective, which took place in 2012 at the National Gallery in Prague. These artworks are now appearing in a new context, and some of them are available for purchase for the very first time.
A printed catalog will also be published to accompany the exhibition, further expanding the opportunity for a deeper engagement with Kotík's work and the significance of his legacy. The exhibition is intended not only for collectors but for anyone who wishes to discover an artist whose work remains powerful precisely because it never succumbed to conformity.
