Depth Flowers
11.3. 2022 - 3.4. 2022
A flower, as a symbol of beauty, could not have arisen without light. At his first solo exhibition, the artist Jan Hladil works with the unpredictability of nature, its randomness and chaos. He transforms the gallery into an organic unit, into which he brings life - light through his works of art. This is for the first time perceived by the author in the context of the new place at the Flowers of the Deep exhibition - until then, the works were set mainly outside the gallery walls, in the environment of festivals and outdoor projects. This shift is therefore a crucial step in the author's approach to creation. Following the example of biotop, the author transforms the gallery into a habitat, in which he lets works of art come to life with the help of mappings, audiovisual installations and conscious work with light. The man-made self-sufficient micro-landscape shrouded in fog evokes a sci-fi atmosphere, which further underlines its location in its primarily non-natural environment. However, the living organisms, which in this case are individual works, are still able to continue to function, and even to evolve and grow. This is made possible by light - the symbol of life, which is Hladil's primary instrument.
The key to a deeper understanding of the author's work may be a return to the roots - the oldest work Resonator, located at the imaginary end of the exhibition. The diploma thesis from 2016 well defines Hladil's overall direction in artistic creation, which is primarily a visual attractiveness that arouses amazement and even consternation. In his works, the author consciously works with beauty, which can often be critically perceived as kitsch. However, beauty, by its very nature of procedural movement, reflects the very principles of nature, which are traditionally associated with the phenomenon of wonder, fear, unavailability and nobility over human understanding.
Jan Hladil is a graduate of the former Supermedia Studio at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts under the direction of Federico Díaz and David Kořínek. His work has so far focused on video, mapping, VJing and various forms of light use in audiovisual installations. He collaborated with the Signal Festival, Lunchmeat Studio and Laterna magika of the New Stage of the National Theater, where he participated in the performances of CUBE and Robot Radius.
text: Mariana Pecháčková