Featured Artist
Martin Patřičný

Martin Patřičný, born in 1955 in Prague, is an artist, woodworker and writer who currently lives and works near Kralupy nad Vltavou. Over the course of his career, he has held more than 120 exhibitions in the Czech Republic, showcasing his work at notable venues such as the Rudolfinum in Prague (1993), the Lichtenstein Palace at HAMU (1995), the Municipal House and National Museum in Prague (1998), and the Academy of Sciences (2002), among others. Patřičný’s education is self-taught. He attended several high schools and graduated from a gymnasium. During the totalitarian era, he worked in blue-collar jobs, including as a woodcutter, warehouseman, and driver. Since 1989, he has dedicated himself fully to artistic work with wood and bookmaking.

Martin Patřičný’s work has several directions. His wooden statues are based on the traditions of both European (e.g., Henry Moore) and Czech art. Patřičný’s contribution is his sensitive understanding of the “wood talk“, that is, the natural structure, colours and haptic qualities. We can see that many of his works are inspired by music. His own inventions include compositions, collages and mosaics made of multicoloured woods with different types of surface finish. The traditional intarsia techniques are further developed here, and inspired by supermatism, informel or collages created by Jiří Kolář, for example.

In older wooden objects, he combines wood with clippings from books, newspapers or music, up to a hundred years old. Wall-hanging objects can be classified into two main visual categories. The first one can be called abstract, emphasising the sensual beauty of shapes, colours and contrast between the smooth surface and relief. The second category is metaphysically subjective, with reminiscences of old memories expressed by the added articles or old wood. Martin’s top workmanship enables him to use wood as his communication means with the ease not everybody can achieve.

In the world of modern technologies, which take us away from nature, Martin Patřičný’s wooden objects bring sensual beauty with an exhilarating return to the world of imagination. At the time of the political break, Martin was making original music stands, which attracted the attention of both experts and the public. After 1989 he made up his mind and began to earn his living as a freelance artist. Interest in the media in his work came in 1993 after his exhibition in Rudolfinum, Prague, organised by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Justitz Gallery.

A great period of Martin’s exhibitions abroad came in 2003–2005. In the spring and summer of 2004, he went for a series of exhibitions in the Netherlands (the Hague, Naarden). In the following year, it was Stockholm (Czech Cultural Centre), International Fair of Crafts in Munich, and Liège. His work was rewarded by Médaille Bronze – Art-Décoratif from Fédération Nationale de la Culture Française in 2004. In 2005 he had a large exhibition in Prague and took part in the Salon International d’Art Moderne, Versailles, where he won Médaille de Vermeil. In the following year, he exhibited in Liberec and in Hradec Králové. He sent his works to the Salon des Indépendants, Paris, in 2006 and 2007. On the break of the years 2006-2007, he displayed a selection of his work in the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and later in Karolinum, Prague. In March 2008, he presented his work at the North York Centre – Public Library in Toronto, Canada.

more. www.patricny.com

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