František Skála
Encyclopedia
František Skála jr is a Czech sculptor, painter, children's book illustrator
, musician, and dancer.
He studied woodcarving at Secondary Applied Arts School (SUPŠ) Prague, 1971–1975 and in 1982 graduated from the University of Applied Arts (VŠUP Prague) in film and television graphics.
He achieved his first major successes as an illustrator of children’s books, and won a series of awards in this field.
In 1995 he represented the Czech Republic with his illustrations at the Frankfurt International Book-Fair.
His comics serial “The Great Travels of Hair and Chin” was to have been made into a full feature animated film, and he worked on the project for several years although it was not in the end carried through.
Alongside illustration, from the beginning of the 1980s he began to make a name for himself as a sculptor and creator of remarkable objects and installations, and it was in this guise that he made the most lasting impression on the public. He presented his works at both solo exhibitions and at joint exhibitions with his contemporaries from the group TVRDOHLAVÍ [The Stubborn], 1987–1991, which brought a postmodern spirit to the arts scene of the time, and of which Skála was a founder member. He is also a real member of the secret organization B.K.S. (Bude konec světa – The End of the World is Coming), and since 1985 commander of the Order of the Green Ladybird. The scope of his creative activities goes beyond fine art: He is a founding member of the music group Malý taneční orchestr Universal (the Small Dance Band) which performs popular music from the communist era of Czechoslovakia
in a humorous fashion. He plays and sings in the group Finský barok [Finnish Baroque]. He is a member of the Sklep theatre company and the vocals trio TROS SKETOS.
In 1990 he gained an honorable mention in Jindřich Chalupecký Award
and in the following year the main award itself, founded and presented by Václav Havel
. The prize carries with it a three-month residential fellowship at the Headlands Center for the Arts
in San Francisco in the USA.
From 1992 he worked on design of the interiors of the performance areas of the Paláce Akropolis in Prague.
In 1993 he was chosen to represent the Czech Republic at the 45th Venice Biennale
. He made the journey to Italy on foot and then displayed drawings from his 850-km pilgrimage and fragile objects made of articles he had found on the way in the Czech Pavilion. He has been a guest artist at art universities in Australia and the USA.
In all the spheres of creative activity in which he is involved, his work is distinctive for his exceptional feeling for material, sense of humor and non-speculative, positive approach to creation.
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, musician, and dancer.
He studied woodcarving at Secondary Applied Arts School (SUPŠ) Prague, 1971–1975 and in 1982 graduated from the University of Applied Arts (VŠUP Prague) in film and television graphics.
He achieved his first major successes as an illustrator of children’s books, and won a series of awards in this field.
In 1995 he represented the Czech Republic with his illustrations at the Frankfurt International Book-Fair.
His comics serial “The Great Travels of Hair and Chin” was to have been made into a full feature animated film, and he worked on the project for several years although it was not in the end carried through.
Alongside illustration, from the beginning of the 1980s he began to make a name for himself as a sculptor and creator of remarkable objects and installations, and it was in this guise that he made the most lasting impression on the public. He presented his works at both solo exhibitions and at joint exhibitions with his contemporaries from the group TVRDOHLAVÍ [The Stubborn], 1987–1991, which brought a postmodern spirit to the arts scene of the time, and of which Skála was a founder member. He is also a real member of the secret organization B.K.S. (Bude konec světa – The End of the World is Coming), and since 1985 commander of the Order of the Green Ladybird. The scope of his creative activities goes beyond fine art: He is a founding member of the music group Malý taneční orchestr Universal (the Small Dance Band) which performs popular music from the communist era of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in a humorous fashion. He plays and sings in the group Finský barok [Finnish Baroque]. He is a member of the Sklep theatre company and the vocals trio TROS SKETOS.
In 1990 he gained an honorable mention in Jindřich Chalupecký Award
Jindřich Chalupecký Award
The Jindřich Chalupecký Award is a prize awarded annually to young visual artists. Candidates must be Czech citizens aged less than 35 years.-History:The prize was established in 1990 by Václav Havel, Jiří Kolář and Theodor Pištěk...
and in the following year the main award itself, founded and presented by Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
. The prize carries with it a three-month residential fellowship at the Headlands Center for the Arts
Headlands Center for the Arts
Situated in a campus of artist-renovated military buildings in the Marin Headlands, Headlands Center for the Arts hosts an internationally recognized Artist in Residence Program, interdisciplinary public programs, and subsidized studio rentals for Bay Area artists of all disciplines.- Mission and...
in San Francisco in the USA.
From 1992 he worked on design of the interiors of the performance areas of the Paláce Akropolis in Prague.
In 1993 he was chosen to represent the Czech Republic at the 45th Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
. He made the journey to Italy on foot and then displayed drawings from his 850-km pilgrimage and fragile objects made of articles he had found on the way in the Czech Pavilion. He has been a guest artist at art universities in Australia and the USA.
In all the spheres of creative activity in which he is involved, his work is distinctive for his exceptional feeling for material, sense of humor and non-speculative, positive approach to creation.
Video of Tros Sketos
- 30 May 2007 performance at Palac Akropolis in Prague
- Tros Sketos television commercial for the 2002 Karlovy Vary Film Festival
External links
- František Skála's homepage(in Czech & English)
- Tvrdohlaví – František Skála – timeline of artist's work (in Czech)]
- Skála at the Rudolfinium – E-Architekt.cz article on Skála including photos of his artwork
- Frantisek Skala – A "Midwife" of Contemporary Art – Czech Radio article on Skála
- The Monstrous Muteness of František Skála – Umelec International website
- Skala at Rudolfinium – Galerie Rudolfinum'sGalerie Rudolfinumthumb|Annelies Štrba - Rudolfinumthumb|Uncertain States of Americathumb|Entrance to the galleryThe Galerie Rudolfinum started its activities on January 1, 1994 and is a state non-profit institution directed and financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, and has its seat in the...
biography of Skála - Contemporary Fine Art – The official website of the Czech Republic's history of contemporary Czech art
- VĚCI MAJÍ DUŠI – interview with Skála (in Czech)
- Porodní assistent – Reflex MagazineReflex (magazine)Reflex is a Czech weekly magazine focusing on political, social and cultural topics. It was founded in 1990 and is currently owned by the Swiss media corporation Ringier. It is one of the Czech Republic's most controversial and widely read social-political magazines; its print circulation of 60,000...
interview with Skála (in Czech)