“A work of art is worth nothing without inspiration.”
– Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Journal intime, 1874
From the animals depicted on the walls of Lascaux to the Greek art, carefully copied by Italian masters of the Renaissance, the term inspiration is a flywheel of every creative process. Throughout the centuries artists have been using the power of inspiration to refresh and upgrade the language of art with new metaphors and motifs. Today we are inviting you to observe this process in the work of Tadeaš Kotrba.
Tadeaš is a Czech painter who graduated from Prague Academy of Fine Art (AVU), who will be the key point of our reflection through the process of making art and being creatively influenced. Tadeaš grew up surrounded by his father’s art, Marius Kotrba, a reknown sculptor who debuted in the early nineties and passed away in 2011 at the climax of his career. And thus, Tadeaš found himself in a situation that many children of artists know, follow the art of their parents or start their own path?
As we may all know, everyone is inspired by what they are surrounded by, thus being surrounded by works of art all your life has a huge influence and makes this world innate for you Instead of going against it, Tadeaš started an artistic conversation between father and son combining scenes from his daily life with the figurative style adopted from the drawings and late sketches of his father. In his exhibited work,Tadeaš Kotrba apart from the sketches turns back toward Renaissance, quoting from the fresco from Santa Maria Della Scala in Siena, made by Lorenzo di Pietro between 1445 and 1449. The works of the Italian Trecento and Quattrocento artists have long been a source of inspiration for Tadeaš Kotrba. During an artistic residency in the Tuscan village of San Sano in the courtesy of the Éva Kahán foundation Tadeáš had the opportunity to tour several churches of the nearby towns and cities, his research trips were focused on the unique displays of frescos and altar paintings by such masters as Piero della Francesca and Fra Angelico. Therefore this painting Tadeaš was inspired by two different artists, from two different centuries, the 14th and the 20th. On his canvas Tadeáš combines different styles and elements of other era. Nowadays this painting is the last step in the path of creativity, which started from one subject, inspiring Greek art, to Renaissance art, and then to the painting that you can see right here from Tadeaš. Between all these steps of inspiration many other artists could have influenced it and future artists can also be inspired by Tadeaš painting. Every element that influenced this art piece’s creation is exhibited in your surroundings.
After coming here let this magical process and welcome this inspiration.
Imprint
| Artist | Tadeáš Kotrba |
| Exhibition | Insight of Inspiration |
| Place / venue | Reunion Gallery Prague |
| Dates | 02.02. - 05.02.2023 |
| Curated by | Klara Mahoas |
| Photos | Anna Pleslová |
| Website | www.reuniongallery2021.com/ |
| Index | Anna Pleslová Henri-Frédéric Amiel Klara Mahoas Marius Kotrba Prague Reunion Gallery Prague Tadeáš Kotrba |