sign. na rubu Karel Štědrý 2021 Znak, 30,3 × 30,3 cm, akryl, tmel, plátno

V 80. letech 20. stol. rozvinul Petr Kvíčala, generačně i názorově spřízněný s generací umělců skupiny Tvrdohlavých, osobitou polohu abstraktní geometrické malby, jejímž východiskem se stal ornament jako hlavní předmět obrazového sdělení. Elementární geometrické tvary a znaky, jako je vlnovka, kruh, čára a křížek se od té doby staly hlavním výrazovým prostředkem autora, zachycující archaickou zkušenost inspirovanou lidovou tvorbou prostřednictvím univerzální geometrické výtvarné řeči, jejíž variabilitu dokázal Kvíčala plně využít

• Among his numerous exhibitions, the highlights include his collaboration with Stanislav Kolíbal on the exhibition Paralely at the Villa Pellé gallery, his participation in the StART fair at the Saatchi Gallery in London, the solo show Neo at GASK in Kutná Hora and the exhibition Od soumraku do úsvitu at the Magna gallery in Ostrava
   
• Karel Štědrý's work is also in demand among international collectors, as confirmed by the sale of one of his pieces at Sotheby's for almost 9,500 pounds
   

The abstract work of the painter Karel Štědrý operates on many levels. From acrylics and pastels he moves freely to spray paint or to charcoal he makes himself; from the influence of architecture and classic modernism he arrives at the pop-culture world of rap, graffiti and computer games. Intensely coloured geometric planes alternate with restrained, tactile shades of grey, reason turns into feeling and order mixes with raw energy. Yet whichever of these paths the artist takes, colour remains the essential element. "Even black has plenty of shades," he says of his charcoal drawings. Despite his fairly broad range, Karel retains a very distinctive signature, one that caught the eye of Czech and international collectors years ago. 

Karel Štědrý is one of the most important artists of the early 21st century. From 2003 to 2010 he studied at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in the Painting Studio of Stanislav Diviš. He took part in several symposia in Mikulov and Litomyšl, in 2010 he received the ARTkontakt award for young visual artists, and in 2017 he completed a creative residency in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. He is a co-founder of the artist groups OBR, CLAN and, most recently, FIRMA. His standing on the Czech professional scene is confirmed by his recent collaboration with Stanislav Kolíbal at the Villa Pellé gallery, while the interest of international collectors is evidenced by the sale of his work at Sotheby's for almost 9,500 pounds. Recent solo exhibition projects include his presentation at the StART fair at the Saatchi Gallery in London, at the Magna gallery in Ostrava and at the Via Art gallery in Prague.

Profile photo: František Ortmann