We are proud to present a joint exhibition of the artist couple Alena Matĕjka and Lars Widenfalk.

Lars Widenfalk:

Lars Widenfalk (born 1954 in Sweden) studied archaeology and art history at the University of Uppsala in Sweden and at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts in Norway. Together with his wife Alena Matejka he works alternately in Sweden, the Czech Republic and Italy. The artist is regarded as one of the sculptors who have found a new means of pictorial expression in Nordic sculpture. He works with many materials from bronze to snow and ice. His main materials are marble and granite. In recent years he has increasingly worked with glass, which he often uses in combination with stone. His early works were often realistic and figurative. However, this has evolved into sculptures with a symbolic and spiritual expression. Many of his works deal with the subject of place and man. Lars Widenfalk has participated in over 100 solo and group exhibitions in Sweden, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

Alena Matĕjka:

After graduating from the Secondary School of Glassmaking in Kamenický Šenov, Alena Matejka (born 1966 in the Czech Republic) studied at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts. Her professor Vladimír Kopecký left a lasting impression on her, encouraging her to disregard all conventions and embark on a quest for the unique. The artist works with glass, stone and organic materials. Her objects carry a special mysticism within them, as can be seen in the installation “My Dear, Hunter from Lavondyss”, which we previously showed in her solo exhibition in our gallery in 2015. The new installation “She is not Me”, which can be seen in our new exhibition alongside other works by the artist, was recently on display in her solo exhibition at one of the world’s most important glass museums, the Toyama Glass Art Museum in Japan. Matejka finds inspiration for her work in random encounters in her daily life, in connections to other people, as well as in nature. Living myths, cultures and stories permeate her works.

On the upper floor, sculptures by the following artists are on display:

Josef Marek – Josef Marek uses the tension within the objects for his artistic meaning. His main focus therefore is on the inner space and he uses the structure and hollow spaces within the object to let it come to life.

Jan Exnar – Jan Exnar combines in his melted glass objects the sculptured form with a perfectly cut surface. The effects of the light on the cast and cut forms of Jan Exnar’s glass objects transform them into fascinating, permanently changing monumental sculptures.

Jiří Karel – The work of Jiří Karel focuses on the use of floated optical glass slabs hot-welded in compact blocks that he sculpts and tirelessly polishes until the end composition.

Tomáš Brzon works with simple geometric shapes, reflections and optical illusions. His well thought-out and perfect cut reflects the light, generating contours and geometric shapes within the sculpture.