This exhibition showcases the works of Jiří Mrázek, a significant Czech artist of the latter half of the 20th century and a founding member of the UB 12 art group. The display focuses on his distinctive use of color, line, and shape to build a personal universe of abstract forms derived from dreams and fantasies.
Jiří Mrázek (1923–1981) was a prominent Czech artist whose artistic legacy, though perhaps underappreciated, significantly shaped the art scene of the second half of the 20th century. His inclusion in the Museum Kampa programme aligns with the institution's focus on artists from the influential UB 12 art group, of which Mrázek was a founding member. This group, which included notable artists like Boštík, Janoušek, Šimotová, and Kolíbal, played a crucial role in Czech modern art by championing free artistic expression and individual member independence in opposition to official art.
Mrázek's artistic practice consistently centered on the fundamental elements of color, line, and shape, which he employed to construct a unique universe. Within this personal cosmos, he deliberately eliminated mass, instead accentuating free gestures that stemmed from his inner fantasies. While his shapes were often rooted in rational objects, they ultimately served as conduits for dreams and imagination, forming complex, arabesque-like arrangements of surfaces and lines. The exhibition underscores Mrázek’s sovereign approach to painting and drawing, emphasizing his mastery in conveying artistic qualities through line, color, and shape, recognizing their unique and irreplaceable communicative power.