MEMORY LAYERS
3. 10. 2025 - 18. 1. 2026
Štěpán Molín's exhibition Layers of Memory reveals the accumulations of collective memory in places – and above all their subjective perception. Reflections on urban and rural spaces, their dynamics, atmosphere, and the search for moments of calm – these are the qualities that Molín's paintings bring in their uniqueness. Although Molín's work may seem purely formalistic, it reveals layers that breathe – with scent, cold, unexpected bustle, a gentle breeze, and an unfinished story. Nothing is served up explicitly to the viewer; they must become part of Molín's visual narrative and uncover the individual layers of the story themselves.
Molín, whose initial perception of the urban landscape was shaped by Prague's Lesser Town, absorbed every detail of it, so that later, through his work, he could rediscover its specifics and at the same time reveal his sensitivity to the environment in which he finds himself. Such places are his central themes, and the exhibition at Dům Radost is no exception—it might seem that Molín is merely a formalist archivist of buildings, but in reality he is an architect who builds his houses with brushstrokes. His artistic voice complements the original spaces with emotional layers, creating a dialogue with a place that actually exists and then on canvas in a completely unique form and with added value – with a layer of genius loci.
Although Molín did not begin studying painting until after graduating from hotel school, visual art had shaped him from an early age, thanks in particular to his grandfather, the well-known cartoonist Josef Molín, whose sense of line, humor, and composition left an indelible mark on him. This family continuity of visual culture is reflected today in his ability to capture space and subtle nuances of light. Molín captures houses, courtyards, and empty spaces that have become his trademark—places that seem abandoned but at the same time pulsate with life hidden in the details and atmosphere. Layers of Memory shows Štěpán Molín as an artist who can create a scene full of tension, silence, and intimacy from ordinary, often abandoned urban or rural environments. The viewer thus encounters images that seem intimate and yet universal. Every street, every courtyard, and every open space becomes a place where individual experience meets collective memory. The painter layers details and colors to create a space that breathes—and that changes as the viewer moves through it with their eyes and thoughts. Molín's work is also a reminder that all places are not just material objects, but carry layers of time, history, and human stories. The exhibition Layers of Memory is therefore a space where artistic precision meets wild freedom and where the viewer can rediscover familiar surroundings in unexpected colors.
Štěpán Molín (* 1980) was born in Prague, where he also lives and works. He graduated in 2019 from the Painting III studio of Michael Rittstein and Josef Bolf at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.
Last year, we presented Štěpán Molín's work at the exhibition Kindred Spirits: Michael Rittstein, Roman Franta, and Their Students at the Portheimka Gallery.
author of the text: Bára Alex Kašparová
The exhibition is taking place at Dům Radost, nám. W. Churchilla 2, Prague 3.