Under the directorship of Petr
Nedoma the Rudolfinum has become the only state funded gallery to bring
contemporary international art to the Czech Republic. The Rudolfinum is the
only gallery of its size in the country to be able to host contemporary art on
such a level over many years. The list of
foreign artists is quite long and impressive, everyone from Raqib Shaw to Damien Hirst to the likes
of Ana Mendieta, have all made their way to this grand gallery. The
provocative works on display are often in stark contrast to the very graceful interiors
of the exhibition space, making both stand out in equal measure.
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| Roger Hiorns |
While the National Gallery
focuses on Czech art and old Masters, international art is mostly left to small
independent galleries which struggle to thrive on such a small scene. The
Rudolfinum also has the added advantage of being able to host both big and
smaller shows.
At the
end of May Mr.Nedoma opened the
show of Roger Hiorns which was curated
by David Korecký.This is yet another show with focuses on contemporary British
art, perhaps as nod to where the epicenter of the art world has shifted to.
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| Roger Hiorns, Untitled, 2014, Courtesy Corvi-Mora, London, |
Roger Hiorns is one of the
younger generation of British artists to gain wider recognition in the last few
years. Though too young to be considered one of the YBAs who emerged in the early
90’s, he was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2009.This show was the most
conceptual I have seen in the Rudolfinum to date and might summarize Hiorns’s oeuvre.
Most of his works are not immediately understandable to most as a major theme in his works are
objects that tell a different story from what is evident at first sight-“an
impression is an illusion“. His compositions of rigid industrial materials
alongside the human body are meant to provoke thoughts through a certain amount
of discomfort.
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| Roger Hiorns, Untitled, 2011-12, Courtesy Corvi-Mora, London
Photo by Jiří Očenášek
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After a short opening speech and
a glass of bubbles in the atrium those invited were confronted with installations
based used recycled industrial materials and mechanical parts such an old plane
engine which was always juxtaposed with something much more fragile. In this
particular case fragility came in the form of three nude models that sat on and
occasionally moved around the pieces. The great views of the Prague castle also
created an apt contrast to disused car parts which were on display .The play
between metal and flesh does prove to be very effective especially on the
backdrop of the classically elegant rooms of the gallery.
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| A view from one of the rooms
Photo by Jiří Očenášek
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I am not sure what many of the guests thought,
especially the older male generation but I am sure that Mr. Hiorns, Korecký and
Nedoma have succeeded in shaking things up a bit again.
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