Red and Yellow

Josef Valčík

Josef Valčík was born on 16 November 1953. He is the founder and a member of the Ateliér Valčík art collective. In addition to painting, he also works in photography and ceramic sculpture. His early work as a painter centred on landscapes, floral still lifes and nudes. In the mid-1990s, abstract compositions began to appear in his work, bringing greater freedom to his treatment of these earlier subjects. In his floral paintings, recognisable natural forms merge with spontaneous painterly gestures. Elongated petals, curving stems and overlapping brushstrokes create a sense of movement and fill almost the entire picture plane. Thickly applied acrylic paint gives the surface a sculptural texture. Individual flowers are built up from bold strokes of colour that also establish the rhythm of the entire composition. Colour contrasts play an important role in Josef Valčík’s artistic work. Rich reds and yellows, together with white, stand out against darker backgrounds, while in more subtly toned compositions white blends with shades of violet, grey and green. The floral subject thus becomes an opportunity to explore the relationships between colour, form and light.