September 21, 2023 - October 15, 2023
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Jiří Šuhájek: LabyrinthMladota's House (Mladotův dům), Vikářská ulička 37, Prague Castle, Prague 1September 21, 2023 - October 15, 2023
Jiri Suhajek (*1943) is a renowned glass artist and painter, who not only designs his pieces, but can create them himself at the furnace. He was taught by Professor Stanislav Libenský at Prague’s UMPRUM and graduated from the Royal College of Art. He has received many awards at home and abroad for both his designs and his artistic work. His works can be found in collections in some of the world’s most prominent museums, among them the Corning Museum of Glass in the US and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. In the labyrinth, one doesn‘t lose their way; instead, they discover themselves. This sentiment is what invites us to this exhibition, which celebrates the 80th birthday of Jiří Šuhájek, an accomplished academic painter and glass artist. We are encouraged to come and explore, hoping that we may find a piece of ourselves within the exhibited works. Each piece, whether it‘s a painting, glass sculpture, design, or drawing, is meant to spark a conversation with us. The reflective glass objects will remind us of our own reflections, hidden symbols will engage our minds, and the colors will resonate with our souls in the most delicate tones. I have named the exhibition „Labyrinth“ because it is a theme that connects Jiří Šuhájek with the space of the Mladotuv dům, located in the heart of the Hradčany complex, and thus in the very center of the magical labyrinth of Prague. Labyrinths, as known, are ancient archetypes that have been used for meditation and prayer, providing space for contemplation of the spiritual dimension of life. They have been part of ceremonies and rituals and have been used as tools for personal, psychological, and spiritual transformation. I would like to emphasize that a labyrinth is not a maze. While a maze symbolizes confusion with many dead ends, a labyrinth is a single intricate path that has a definite direction and purpose, leading us safely to our destination through all its twists and turns. I believe that from the maze of life, one can turn it into a labyrinth if we find our own true direction and follow it. For Jiří Šuhájek, glass became his direction, which found him in elementary school and wrapped him in its glass thread for a lifetime. The jubilee with the number „80“ certainly deserves its own labyrinth. It is a number surrounded by magic and miracles, a magical infinity with countless possibilities beyond the horizon, reminding us that there are fortunately no limits to creativity. This applies perfectly to Jiří Šuhájek‘s artistic journey. The selection for this exhibition was made intuitively and with certainty in his Žižkov studio. I almost feel that each painting, sculpture, or glass already knew where to call me from and let itself be rediscovered. In the studio, I felt like I was visiting Noah‘s Ark, where I gradually discovered all kinds of art that I gathered on to the ship. That‘s why I chose the art for this exhibition in a way that every curious species would be represented at least once. It wasn‘t easy. Although I went through thousands of drawings, dozens of paintings, and glass sculptures, it is still just a fraction of everything Jiří Šuhájek has created. Many other works are literally scattered all over the world. Whether it‘s the glass Burning Bushes in China or Dubai, the Four Seasons symbolized by majestic 3.5-meter-high glass figures, or the proud and even taller Samurais, the notoriously long-legged female figures, dozens of diverse birds that have flown not only to the south but also to other parts of the world, or many magical chalices and goblets from which people drink, bowls from which they eat fruit, vases that come even more to life with flowers, and, of course, colorful paintings and drawings that enhance public and private interiors in the Czech Republic and abroad. So, it can actually be said that the artist‘s creative journey and his sincere, fascinating, and undying love for creation are documented in fragments all over the world, dancing with shapes, colors, and the innermost communication in the sincerest dance of imagination. I invite you to journey through this fantastic labyrinth of Jiří Šuhájek‘s creation, where there is an infinity of possibilities to not only glimpse into the artist‘s inner self but also into your own. Curator: Eva Šuhájková
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