Ivan Patúc - [Metal]Anatomy

Art Palace Prague presents a solo exhibition by Slovak sculptor Ivan Patúc, whose work combines traditional metalwork craft with contemporary sculpture. Titled [Metal]Anatomy, the exhibition features a selection of his objects and reliefs, in which industrial rolled sheet metal is transformed into a medium for figurative expression. Patúc blends, layers, joins and weaves copper, brass, aluminium, iron and bronze into distinctive lines and structures that lend his works movement, tension and a striking interplay of light and shadow. For his work, Ivan Patúc has developed his own technique of weaving narrow metal strips, which has become one of the defining features of his artistic style.

The human figure takes centre stage in the exhibition, with the sculptor deconstructing it into lines, planes and volumes. His work straddles the boundary between hanging relief and spatial sculpture, combining the robustness of metal with the surprising lightness and dynamism of the resulting forms. He draws inspiration from history, mythology, everyday life, interpersonal relationships and sport.

The title [Metal]Anatomy refers to the dual principle underlying Ivan Patúc’s work – both the anatomy of the depicted figure and the very “anatomy” of the material itself: its structure, elasticity, tension and potential transformation. Here, metal is not merely a medium, but an active element that creates the line, volume and character of the resulting work.