Martin Velíšek
Encyclopedia
Martin Velíšek is a popular Czech
artist whose work spans the media of glass
and canvas
, animated film
, album covers, book covers, photography
, sculpture
, and interiors
.
Academically, Velíšek’s work is commonly referred as grotesque
, gothic
, or absurdist
. Velíšek himself avows a self-conceived school of "Parealism", and indeed the peculiarity of his artistic style eludes easy definition.
in 1983 and then from the glass-working department of the College of Industrial Art, Prague in 1989. While his exhibitions drew attention even in communist-era Czechoslovakia, it was his association with the popular avant-punk band Už Jsme Doma
(where he holds the honorary title of “court painter“) in the 1990s that brought him broad public acclaim. Other wide-ranging projects in that decade contributed to making his work widely recognisable: award-winning book covers like for the Czech classic The Grandmother
by Božena Němcová
, his contribution to Aurel Klimt‘s animated film version of Jan Werich
’s Fimfárum, and his embellishment of Prague
-Žižkov
’s famed tavern “At the Shot Out Eye” (U vystřelenýho oka), where his conceptions adorn everything from the tables to the head-rests he invented for the urinals.
In 1992, however, his very human heroes provoked scandal: members of the local Catholic Church demanded that certain canvases on exhibition in the town of Znojmo
be taken down or covered up. This new precedent in the post-communist world of Czech art, and the publicity that accompanied it, became a main factor in Matin Velíšek's speedy and unsought-after celebrity.
Velíšek has since been the subject of two documentary films for Czech Television
, Spring, Hell, Autumn, Winter (Jaro, peklo, podzim, zima, 1994) and The Civilian Parealist's Studio (Ateliér civilistního parealisty, 1996). He lives in Prague with his wife and daughter.
Book Covers:
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
artist whose work spans the media of glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
and canvas
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
, animated film
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, album covers, book covers, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, and interiors
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
.
Academically, Velíšek’s work is commonly referred as grotesque
Grotesque
The word grotesque comes from the same Latin root as "Grotto", meaning a small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of Ancient Roman decorative art rediscovered and then copied in Rome at the end of the 15th century...
, gothic
Gothic fiction
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism's origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled "A Gothic Story"...
, or absurdist
Absurdism
In philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
. Velíšek himself avows a self-conceived school of "Parealism", and indeed the peculiarity of his artistic style eludes easy definition.
Life and work
Martin Velíšek graduated from the School of Industrial Art in Kamenický ŠenovKamenický Šenov
Kamenický Šenov is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:* * German Wikipedia Site with detailed information in German on this city* * *...
in 1983 and then from the glass-working department of the College of Industrial Art, Prague in 1989. While his exhibitions drew attention even in communist-era Czechoslovakia, it was his association with the popular avant-punk band Už Jsme Doma
Už Jsme Doma
Už Jsme Doma, , are a progressive rock band from Prague, Czech Republic, who originally formed in the Czech border town Teplice in 1985. The group's complex and genre-bending sound, longevity, relentless touring and diverse involvement in outside artistic media have earned them a large...
(where he holds the honorary title of “court painter“) in the 1990s that brought him broad public acclaim. Other wide-ranging projects in that decade contributed to making his work widely recognisable: award-winning book covers like for the Czech classic The Grandmother
The Grandmother
The Grandmother is a novel written by Czech writer Božena Němcová in 1855. It is her most popular work and is regarded as a classic piece of Czech literature. This most frequently read book of the Czech nation was published more than 300 times in the Czech language alone and translated into 21...
by Božena Němcová
Božena Nemcová
Božena Němcová was a Czech writer of the final phase of the Czech National Revival movement.-Biography:...
, his contribution to Aurel Klimt‘s animated film version of Jan Werich
Jan Werich
Jan Werich was a Czech actor, playwright and writer.-Life:Between 1916 to 1924 he attended "reálné gymnasium" in Křemencová Street in Prague...
’s Fimfárum, and his embellishment of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
-Žižkov
Žižkov
Žižkov is a cadastral district of Prague, Czech Republic. Most of Žižkov lies in the municipal and administrative district of Prague 3, except for very small parts which are in Prague 8 and Prague 10. Prior to 1922, Žižkov was an independent city....
’s famed tavern “At the Shot Out Eye” (U vystřelenýho oka), where his conceptions adorn everything from the tables to the head-rests he invented for the urinals.
Interpretation
A dominant theme in Velíšek’s work is man, or better put, the body of man, generally closed in a space in his nakedness or before a horizon, and treated with a specific kind of crooked, or comical, baseness, that creates a distinctly black sense of humour. The pictures always have a clear composition which, along with abundant use of writing, leads to a sort of Gothicism applied with equal measure to religion or pub scenes.In 1992, however, his very human heroes provoked scandal: members of the local Catholic Church demanded that certain canvases on exhibition in the town of Znojmo
Znojmo
Znojmo is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the border with Lower Austria, connected to Vienna by railway and road . The royal city of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I on the plains in front of Znojmo Castle...
be taken down or covered up. This new precedent in the post-communist world of Czech art, and the publicity that accompanied it, became a main factor in Matin Velíšek's speedy and unsought-after celebrity.
Velíšek has since been the subject of two documentary films for Czech Television
Czech television
Czech television may refer to:*Television in the Czech Republic*Česká televize...
, Spring, Hell, Autumn, Winter (Jaro, peklo, podzim, zima, 1994) and The Civilian Parealist's Studio (Ateliér civilistního parealisty, 1996). He lives in Prague with his wife and daughter.
Books
Books by/about:- Lyžaři, Argo, 1996
- Už jsme domaUž Jsme DomaUž Jsme Doma, , are a progressive rock band from Prague, Czech Republic, who originally formed in the Czech border town Teplice in 1985. The group's complex and genre-bending sound, longevity, relentless touring and diverse involvement in outside artistic media have earned them a large...
11+4, Argo, 2000 (pop-up bookPop-up bookThe term pop-up book is often applied to any three-dimensional or movable book, although properly the umbrella term movable book covers pop-ups, transformations, tunnel books, volvelles, flaps, pull-tabs, pop-outs, pull-downs, and more, each of which performs in a different manner...
)
Book Covers:
- A uzřela oslice andělaAnd the Ass Saw the AngelAnd the Ass Saw the Angel is the first novel by the musician and singer Nick Cave, originally published in 1989 by Black Spring Press in the United Kingdom and Harper Collins in the United States. It was re-published in 2003 by 2.13.61...
, by Nick CaveNick CaveNicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
, Argo, 1995 - Farma zvířatAnimal FarmAnimal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II...
, Argo, 2000 - Babička: obrazy venkovského životaThe GrandmotherThe Grandmother is a novel written by Czech writer Božena Němcová in 1855. It is her most popular work and is regarded as a classic piece of Czech literature. This most frequently read book of the Czech nation was published more than 300 times in the Czech language alone and translated into 21...
, by Božena NěmcováBožena NemcováBožena Němcová was a Czech writer of the final phase of the Czech National Revival movement.-Biography:...
, Prostor, 2006 - And others.
External links
- Works online: http://scripts.noise.cz/ujd/velisek.htm
- Fimfárum: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299878/
- Portrait: http://www.studiopvm.com/stranky%20s%20fotkama/stranka_foto_velisek.htm