Curated by me, this show was the realization of something I had wanted for a long time – ever since I met my dearest colleague and friend, Elena Steiner: our first collaborative exhibition. We were lucky to have this one-room show, titled Playground, take place at Knupp Gallery in December 2019, with the kind permission of the gallerist himself, Aleš Knupp.
Tribute to our mutual art friendship
Our joint exhibition was the natural outcome of a long-standing friendship, built from the very first moment of mutual fascination with each other’s work. Kindred spirits recognize one another through their art – and for us, it was friendship at first sight.
Czech-Austrian painter Elena Steiner focuses on the human body as a vessel of emotion. Her deep, luminous colors and delicate glazes, reminiscent of Caravaggio and Rubens, draw the viewer into intimate states we often wish to experience in solitude.
I primarily work in sculpture, but as a conceptual sculptor I choose the medium that best amplifies the idea – whether an object, painting, or installation. Sexuality is a constant theme in my work, explored through various contexts. Like Elena, I draw from classical methods but embrace conceptual play.
We are united by our insistence on perfect balance between form and content, our willingness to cross boundaries, and our shared pursuit of aesthetic fulfillment – a formal hedonism that mirrors libido’s desire for life.
And it is precisely this craving, fulfilled through art, that forms our common intersection – libido, the fundamental life energy we both explore, whether consciously or unconsciously. Libido, where the pleasant meets the unpleasant. Libido, where intimacy longs to be shared with the world, for hidden away in the cellar of the psyche, it would wither. From this source springs the existential undertone of our work, running counter to the current of today’s world, which tries to sate human desire with the fast food of Instagram and superficial consumption.
In our case, Playground is a playing field – a space where you, the viewers, can join the game through your perception, engaging with the dialogue we weave through our works. You may even eavesdrop voyeuristically on our conversations about life’s most intimate matters. We quietly allow it, knowing that the craving of libido is not ours alone, and that opening up to such a conversation – even with oneself – is no easy task. May our art help you in that.
