Oldřich Kulhánek: Body Language

Art Palace presents the exhibition “Oldřich Kulhánek: Body Language”, a unique selection from the lithographic work of our leading graphic artist, draughtsman and author of contemporary Czech banknotes.

Oldřich Kulhánek excelled in his unique mastery of the detailed study of the human body as a means of artistic expression, and it is the artist's conception of figures, faces and hands that is the leitmotif of the exhibited works.

Kulhánek used the body in his work as a tool to capture the deepest emotions, to reflect on existential challenges and to react to what is happening around us. The cycles “Pády” (Falls) and “Parabola” are typical examples of how our life, our world, is reflected in the human body, in its interpretation.

The same role in Kulhánek's work was played by the depiction of the face itself, which is interwoven throughout his work. It is also the basis for his reflection on the life pilgrimage of the individual in the series “Ecce Homo”, as well as the humorously conceived collection “Funny Money”, the first project with which the author in his free work followed up on the completion of the design of an independent Czech crown for the National Bank.

A special place is given to the series “Případ” (The Case), which includes four lithographs “Portrét mého fízla” (A Portrait of My Cop), “Výslech” (Interrogation), “Ruzyně, cela 321“ (Ruzyně, Cell 321), and “Soud” (Trial). It captures the author's own Kafkaesque process. Oldřich Kulhánek was arrested by the StB (State Security) in 1971 and accused of defaming the representatives of communist countries with his prints of 1968-1971. This meant, above all, the face of Stalin in some of his prints. Kulhánek was imprisoned and persecuted for a long time. After the Velvet Revolution he symbolically closed his conflict with the communist regime with this series of 1990.

Kulhánek's credo was: “I believe, I am convinced that an artist should send in their work a message about themselves, about the time and place where they live.” This exhibition fulfils this credo perfectly. The presented works do not lose any of their topicality. Given the developments in the world and at home, they may even speak to us more urgently.