Prague - This year, three young artists and two artistic pairs have the chance to win the Jindřich Chalupecký Award. The international jury will vote in November among Václav Magid, Jakub Matuška, Alice Nikitinová and the pairs Vasil Artamonov - Alexej Kljujkov and David Böhm - Jiří Franta. Lenka Lindaurová from the Jindřich Chalupecký Society announced this today at the DOX Center for Contemporary Art in Prague's Holešovice district. This year marks the 21st edition of the awards for artists under 35. The jury selected the finalists from 80 registered visual artists. The award is intended for Czech artists and those working in the Czech Republic. According to the chairperson of the Jindřich Chalupecký Society, Charlotta Kotíková, people with roots abroad are increasingly asserting themselves in the Czech art scene. Another new trend is the presence of artistic pairs and groups. The commission is also responding to these new trends, Kotíková stated. Vasil Artamonov (1980) and Alexej Kljujkov (1983) were born in Russia but have lived in the Czech Republic since childhood. They were selected among the finalists for the "consistent quality of their work, which encompasses a wide range of media from performances, installations, painting, sculpture to social projects." They react to impulses from the past, drawing inspiration from futurism and suprematism. They also refer to political issues, particularly developments in the post-Soviet bloc. The second pair, David Böhm (1982) and Jiří Franta (1978), has made it among the finalists for the second time. Their joint projects are inspired by street art and graffiti. In the case of Václav Magid (1979), the jury appreciated the conceptual qualities of his work and his ability to connect contexts. They also positively noted his theoretical and curatorial activities, Lindaurová stated. Jakub Matuška (1981) captivated the jury by combining approaches from street art and monumental painting. Matuška reportedly achieves a clear, strong, and rich expression with a pop-surrealist resonance. Alice Nikitinová (1979) creates an abstract world with her works, painting images and installing objects. Her approach to painting impressed the jury with its focused methodology and elimination of the unnecessary. Entering one of her installations feels like the viewer is seeing reality through a magnifying glass. The Jindřich Chalupecký Society was founded two decades ago by Theodor Pištěk, Václav Havel, and Jiří Kolář. The exhibition of the finalists' works will take place from November 4 to January 15 of the following year at the DOX center. The winner will be decided at the exhibition, and the award will be presented on November 23. Last year it was awarded to Jiří Skála. The DOX Center will exhibit works from all previous laureates of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award since 1990 starting in November. In the past, the award has been received by, for example, Petr Nikl, Kateřina Vincourová, Kateřina Šedá, or Michal Pěchouček.
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.