Explore Mat Collishaw's Standing Water Exhibition: Bridging Contemporary Art and Historical Narratives

This exhibition by Mat Collishaw, a prominent Young British Artist, explores the interplay between past and present, beauty and horror, and light and darkness. It features works from the last decade, drawing inspiration from historical art and narratives.

The exhibition 'Standing Water' by Mat Collishaw, a key figure of the Young British Artists movement, delves into the consistent artistic path he has forged over the years. The exhibition, primarily featuring works from the last decade, emphasizes the content and formal connections with art of the past. Collishaw's work often navigates the threshold between reality and dreams, selecting historical stimuli with a keen sensitivity for their most extreme qualities. His art consistently explores the point of convergence between beauty and horror, light and darkness, creating tension that compels the viewer to take a stance and contemplate the artist's intended path. He frequently uses stories from the past as a framework, regardless of their cultural standing, from high literature to sensationalist tales. Examples include photographic still lifes inspired by 17th-century Dutch masters, titled 'Last Meal on Death Row,' which depict the final requests of death row inmates, and works that hint at hidden violence without explicit depiction. Collishaw believes that shock revitalizes and contains an alluring beauty, a principle he sees echoed in the works of past masters like Caravaggio. The exhibition also features works like 'Deliverance' (2008), which reflects on the Beslan school hostage crisis, using innovative technology to convey the tragic situation. Collishaw's unique ability lies in extracting an exceptional aura from old art that functions in a new, contemporary context, focusing on reinterpretations and visual sensations that retain echoes of original meanings. The exhibition aligns with Galerie Rudolfinum's curatorial line of exploring the deep and inspiring connections between contemporary art and art history.

Entry to the exhibition 'Mat Collishaw. Standing Water' is free of charge thanks to financial support from the Avast Foundation. Visitors can re-enter the gallery if they do not have enough time to see the exhibition in one visit, as admission is voluntary.