Lubomír Přibyl: Retrospetive
Museum Kampa, Prague
It's nearly gallery season, and I've had a summer brimming with art experiences. Let's begin with one of my summer highlights—the retrospective exhibition of Lubomír Přibyl’s work at the Kampa Museum in Prague. Retrospectives often provide the best introduction to an artist's body of work, and that was certainly the case here. Přibyl, who was prohibited from exhibiting at home during the last regime, dedicated much of his time to showcasing his art abroad. Only after the fall of the Iron Curtain did he return to the Czechoslovak art scene.
Přibyl's art is categorized within the constructivism movement, yet it stands out as distinctly unique among Czech art of his time. The constructivist ethos of eschewing excessive ornamentation or decoration seemed to permeate his approach to creating art. He embodies the essence of art for art's sake, showing little interest in assigning elaborate, premeditated meanings to his work. Instead, he is captivated by the process of creation itself—the journey of sourcing and assembling various materials and inventing novel methods to craft intricate geometric structures on his canvases (which, intriguingly, are not traditional canvases). Furthermore, he employs materials commonly associated with industry, rather than traditional artistic supplies, especially evident in his use of solid planes of color that characterize many of his pieces.
His unending quest to discover the perfect interplay of color and light that would animate the geometry in his works is striking. What particularly defines his art for me is its remarkable consistency. The exhibition spans six decades, yet a discernible thread runs through works created many years apart. This thread is woven, exemplified by his distinctive technique of drilling through boards or panels (what he considers canvases) and threading them with seemingly endless rope. Additionally, there's an unmistakable quality to his work that remains recognizable, regardless of the medium or materials he employs.
As you stroll through the exhibition, it's impossible to ignore the meticulous attention to detail. Notably, the lighting takes center stage in the exhibition design, far from being an afterthought. This choice aligns perfectly with the material- and reflection-focused nature of Přibyl's pieces. Another element that enhances this experience is the strategic placement of seating throughout the room, thoughtfully positioned to complement the interplay of light on the “canvases”.
Clearly, I was deeply impressed by this exhibition, and if I were to return to Prague, I would undoubtedly go and see it a second time.
