12/11/2021 – 09/01/2022

The concept of space, customised to the observer’s interaction with a given area, represents the focal point of Michal Motyčka’s creative work. In his work on display at Galerie Kuzebauch, Motyčka showcases a literal window into an exhibition area, which is thus transformed into the dominant visual component of the presented art installation. An analysis of the shape and function of the window, its frame, and the essential reality of the image, along with the reflection of the real world found in the continuation or substitution of the space of the window via a mirror, leads to a kind of mutual visual integration – simply put, an outside view. In his works, Michal Motyčka is essentially saying: “a viewpoint is predictable in advance”.  In so doing, he ponders the question of the very nature of reality.  Furthermore, Motyčka is evidently seeking to break through into a kind of observable reality, and the perception and subjective interests of our point-of-view interpretation, into which such art is cognitively transformed. The ambitions of the author are clearly to present a sculpting solution that can activate a given space, inviting observers to discover its superficially indecipherable spatial interrelationships. This leads to an illumination of the artist’s own experiences with comprehending the concept of space as a natural confrontation with its surroundings, as well as making use of the opportunity to “once again see, glimpse, interpret…” something that we might not expect to find in an exhibition environment.

View of the Outside, 2021, metal construction, mirrors, 154 × 163 × 37 cm, 148 × 157 × 3 cm, Photo © Tomáš Princ

View of the Outside, 2021, metal construction, mirrors, 154 × 163 × 37 cm, 148 × 157 × 3 cm, Photo © Tomáš Princ

Illumination, in the sense of understanding – or, in the case of architectural motifs, windows as a source of light – offers numerous meanings, for example a moment of surprise leading to the gaining of additional information about a given situation. In order to fully appreciate the installation, the observer must break it down, circumnavigate it, search and discover its inherent meaning through a conscious act of walking. Through such actions, the world around us can be transformed into something real; travelling from A to B offers the observer the chance to contemplate and to gain a deeper understanding into the spatial interplay inherent in the presented work. We can see, experience, and understand more by observing the events taking place around us, and then react accordingly with consideration and caution, making sensitive use of our internal consciousness and intuition. Perhaps we need more time to think, to ponder, to cultivate our curiosity to gain awareness of the present moment from a difference perspective. Thanks to our inherent resolve, we are able to create for ourselves a complex picture of that which lies before us, and to commit this to memory.

Pohled dovnitř I, II, 2019, metal construction, mirror, metallized sheet glass, 70 × 70 × 36 cm, Photo © Tomáš Princ