Discover the Jaroslava Kurandová & Zdeněk Rybka Exhibition at Museum Kampa, Highlighting Czech Abstract Art

Museum Kampa presents the work of married artists Zdeněk Rybka and Jaroslava Kurandová, showcasing their transition from geometric abstraction in the 1960s to distinct individual styles after a period of withdrawal. The exhibition highlights their significant contributions to Czech art history and their resilience in the face of historical events.

This exhibition at Museum Kampa focuses on the married couple Zdeněk Rybka (born 1938) and Jaroslava Kurandová (1936–2024), artists whose lives and careers were profoundly shaped by historical events in Czechoslovakia. After meeting at secondary school and studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, they became prominent figures in geometric abstraction in the 1960s, joining the Klub konkretistů. Kurandová explored three-dimensional works using lacquered hardboard and plexiglass, while Rybka experimented with electrography, creating works with a unique halo effect. Following the 1968 invasion, both artists stepped away from their creative work to focus on teaching until the late 1980s. Rybka later developed a new direction called Vântîl, incorporating absurdity and irreverence, while returning to expressive figurative painting within a geometric framework. Kurandová's later work featured parallel rows of metal or plexiglass strips conveying movement, often with a strong sense of civic engagement. The exhibition aims to restore these two creators, whose lives were deeply impacted by political and social shifts, to their rightful place in art history.