Description of My Style and Theme

I am a Czech artist specializing exclusively in abstract painting. My creative process aims to capture a specific space, perceived as a subconscious and intuitive color experience of the emotional world. In my paintings, I blend reality with memory and my conceptualizations of it. Elements like mystery, physicality, movement, expansion, and moments of stillness, as well as sensory and personal experiences, shape the color and form of my paintings and installations of plastic structures.

In a series titled "Insights," loosely inspired by photographs—many captured randomly with a mobile phone—I explore altered spatial perception. I use these spontaneous snapshots as a photographic archive to create abstract paintings that reflect fragments of reality captured in digital images. Color is a defining element in my work, helping to grasp space both within the confines of my paintings and beyond their boundaries. My approach includes the use of reduction, symbols, and dynamic, vibrant colors, while abstracting references to concrete reality into explorations of shape. My artistic journey balances the inner logic of objects with emotionality and expressiveness. The randomness of the present moment contrasts with the long-term process of recording, layering, and composition, which reflects my lived experiences. The flow of time intertwines with my exploration and perception of space. This interplay between painting and installation allows me to delve into the illusiveness of images and the tangible nature of objects, exploring our contemporary, subconscious perception of space.

Born in 1959 in Prague, I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (1982–1988). During the 1980s, I participated in unofficial art exhibitions and gained significant recognition with a solo exhibition at the National Gallery's Trade Fair Palace in 1999. My work has been exhibited across the Czech Republic, Europe, the United States, and Asia, receiving acclaim in prominent art magazines like Art in America and Artforum. Among my accolades are the Fédération Nationale de la Culture Française prize in 1996 and the Emaar International Art Symposium award in Dubai in 2004.

In 2019, the National Gallery selected me for a competition to visually design the "Nádraží Krč" station on Prague’s metro D line. My works are held in collections at prestigious institutions such as the National Gallery Prague and the Prague City Gallery, among others. I also teach painting at the Faculty of Humanities and the French Lyceum in Prague.

One of my most recent exhibitions was "Stasis Leak" at the Pragovka Gallery, a venue for emerging artists in Prague, and "On the Level of Time" at the GASK gallery in 2023, exploring the theme of time's passage. I collaborated with philosopher Miroslav Petříček on two exhibitions based on his book "Thinking with an Image." The first was "Chaque fois l’image" at the French Institute in Prague in 2015, and the second at the Prague City Gallery in 2023, where my installation incorporated space, light, and monumental painted and printed plastic fragments, documenting the process of spatial painting.

Visions and Goals

I thrive on setting creative challenges for myself and seizing new opportunities. My interests include exhibiting in unique gallery spaces that allow for the integration of spatial elements (see www.stenclova.com and Instagram @stenclovak). I am keen on showcasing my work's entire developmental journey, from the 1990s to the present. I enjoy participating in high-quality group art confrontations on compelling themes and appreciate the interest from collectors who value my work from a long-term perspective. I also value participating in reputable auction sales, such as a successful sale at Christie's this year. In the near future, I plan to publish a book about my work and am preparing collaborative projects with young Czech artists, aiming to stay connected with current trends and events, living fully in the present while mindfully remembering the past.