So Close, Yet So Far Away exhibition featuring J. Heres, M. Kolarova, and L. Limbourg
Press Release
April 12, 2024
So Close Yet So Far Away
THINK + feel Contemporary is pleased to present its latest group exhibition entitled So Close, Yet So Far Away featuring three representatives of the Y-Z generation of contemporary Czech artists - Jan Heres, Marketa Kolarova, and Laura Limbourg whose artistic connection goes beyond their common nationality, their academic education at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts. All three have been captivated by and find their inspiration in Asian culture, aesthetics and art.
Even a causal viewer of the assembled works would comment on the unexpected yet easily detectable aesthetics and subject matter that do not conform to the traditional artistic fair so typical of artists from the Old Continent. The canvases presented in the exhibition are palpably figurative and full of color choices that challenge traditional Western artistic sensibilities; there is no trace of either the customary Central European earthy pallet or its prevalent abstraction.
Their expectations challenged, a connoisseur and neophyte alike will instead find surprisingly fresh and unexpected colors and images that are far removed from the greenery of Alpine rolling hills and mountainous meadows.
No wonder, as all three artists- though educated in the European artistic tradition in the studios of prominent Czech painters (Martin Mainer, Josef Bolf, Michael Rittstein and Jiří Sopek), and each achieving a unique repertoire of figurative painting - have found their inspiration in the distant countries of Southeast Asia.
Yet, all the works presented in the exhibition were created in Miami during these artists’ recent participation in THINK + feel Contemporary’s artist residency program, the fact reflected in the title of the exhibition.
The Western history of art abounds with names of artists who succumbed to the beauty of the Orient. One can easily recall the travails of the notorious Paul Gaugin whose travel to and life in French Polynesia changed art history. It is his influence that Jan Heres is trying to channel by frequently working with non-representational colors and creating canvases that have an independent existence and vitality all of their own.
Heres’ paintings take on strong hues impacted by the light he perceives in tropical settings. The subject of his paintings is always the cultural environment and forms, which he researches during his sojourns. Since his first extensive stay in Indonesia he has adopted the distinctive stylization of figures of Javanese masks or wayang shadow puppets that have become his artistic hallmark present in the exhibited paintings.
However, the theme of Heres’ works on display also betray that Miami Beach vibe, the local exoticism, its own luminous colors, and light, as well as a multicultural variety of depicted subjects. It is no wonder as all works selected for this exhibition were created during Jan's recent THINK + feel Contemporary artist residency in Miami.
Juxtaposed to Heres’ boldness are the subtle works of Marketa Kolarova that evoke a strong sense of melancholy and mystery. Kolarova draws her primary inspiration from the rich mythology and history of South Asia that she has come to know intimately as she splits her time between Europe and the Philippines (where she is currently preparing her first solo exhibition on that continent).
Marketa’s portraits of women epitomize mysticism; they are her artistic search for the essence of the feminine that goes beyond the superficial female “exotic look.” The artist was able to translate her original exploration of Slavic mythology, particularly its female figures that inspired famous Czech artists in the past (such as Dvorak’s Rusalka, Tuckova’s Carpathian Goddesses or female historical figures of the Mucha’s Slavs’ Epic) to new geographic and cultural territories. As such, her paintings reflect this unmistakable style and fusion of distinct cultures and influences.
During her artist residency in Miami Kolarova stayed loyal to her exploration of mysticism by traveling to Mexico’s neighboring Aztec and Mayan sacred sites. Portraits she created are permeated by melancholy; we see figures and faces whose expressions raise questions of what emotional state they are in and what they are trying to convey that has become the central feature of the Marketa’s oeuvre.
Soulfulness, the inward gaze and the spiritual dynamics that these faces reflect, are subtly attractive and eye-catching mirrors that entice the viewer to immerse themselves in the world of mysticism and contemplation. By infusing elements of mythology and history into her portraits, Kollarova invites viewers to explore the depths of emotion and contemplate the enigmatic nature of existence within a broader cultural context.
Mythology and real life come head to head in the works of the artist Laura Limbourg. Her paintings embody a powerful personal experience that has been transformed from shock at the phenomenon of overt sex tourism she encountered while traveling in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. Limbourg herself speaks about social contrasts which are not only horrifying but also difficult for Westerners to understand. In countries with a strong Buddhist tradition, religious veneration exists side by side with human misery that is sold here as a souvenir to visitors from wealthy countries.
Superficially naive, sentimental images in Limbourg's own characteristic “narrative language” combine the attributes and symbols of traditional Asian cultures with references to the visual world of advertising, marketing and kitsch.
The women depicted in Laura’s paintings - unlike their real counterparts- possess agency; they are imbued with heroic mythological strength that allows them to fight against their miserable existence at least on canvas. In that fight, they are assisted by magical creatures traditional in south Asian symbolism: tigers, herons, and dolphins. Symbolic is also the depiction of the ceramic vases that allude to the female body and their material to the smoothness and fragility they carry within them.
Limbourg’s paintings are not about morality, but about a call to offer the women whose fate, unjustifiably are held in the hands of another, for social support in order to offer them a chance to escape their fate that they did not decide of their own volition.
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Appalled by the sexual exploitation of young women, Marketa Kolarova teamed up with Laura Limbourg to help change the harsh reality of sex exploitation they witnessed. As artists, their road to help was through art and art therapy. They donate art supplies to a local organization Afesip-Cambodia that combats both the impact and enablers of human trafficking and protects young women and girls from abuse, exploitation and living on the street. The artists taught them how to paint and created art together. These works were auctioned, sold and money donated to the organization. Should you want to help, please contact the gallery or Afesip-Cambodia directly.
For further information and Exhibition catalog click here
So Close, Yet So Far Away exhibition
Artists:
Jan Heres (1992) was born in the Swiss city of St. Gallen, but currently lives and works in Prague, Czech Republic. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, painting studio III / school led by Dr. Michael Rittstein. His work was also influenced by an internship in Jiří Sopek's studio. He has participated in artist residencies in Indonesia, The United States, and Taiwan.
Markéta Kolářová (1993) was born in Svitavy, Czech Republic. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in the Painting III studio, under the guidance of Michael Rittstein. Marketa graduated in 2019, in the studio Painting III, led by Josef Bolf. In 2022 she was awarded second place in the Critics' Awards for Young Painting. Marketa splits her time between Prague, Czech Republic and Manila, the Philippines.
Laura Limbourg (1996) was born in Edegem, Belgium, currently lives and works in Prague. Laura is a Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, she studied under Martin Mainer and later in Josef Bolf ’s studio. She lives and works in Prague, Czech Republic.
The exhibition will be on view from April 12 through October 30, 2024
at the Gallery
400 South Point Drive, Lobby Level, Miami Beach, FL
To learn more about the artists and their works, please contact
THINK+feel Contemporary
info@thinkfeelart.com
305.204.7484
202.256.2960 (Whatsapp, Viber)
