The bloom of bones

Tadeáš Podracký (*1989) is a Czech artist working at the intersection of fine art and design. He is a graduate of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, as well as the Design Academy in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He conceives his works as intricate explorations of form and material, pushing and even transcending the boundaries of design objects into the realm of fine art. Consequently, his works are more akin to complex sculptural pieces that, through their surface, camouflage their original utilitarian function like mimics. This hybridity is also apparent in Podracký’s perception and approach to the design of objects, which he first deconstructs and then reconstructs/exposes in a way that leaves only a hint of their original purpose. His sources of inspiration lie in the canonized shapes, materials, and patterns of art and design history, which he approaches from a different perspective, thereby unsettling the viewer’s eye.

In the exhibition “The Bloom of Bones,” Tadeáš Podracký explores how the hybridization of rituals from traditional folk culture, historically linked to pagan and Christian mythologies, and their performance in the urbanized context of the city intersect with the identity shaped by contemporary material culture. Through experimenting with the narrative potential of myth as a medium for a deeper connection between objects and people, he has created a series of five new works that offer an alternative perspective on the human environment. Primarily, he investigates how new contemporary mythologies and artifacts can enhance rootedness, interconnectedness, and a sense of belonging as a result of the exchange between objects and people. The central motif around which the entire exhibition revolves is a sculptural relief representing the personification of death in the form of a skeleton, which rejuvenates and becomes adorned with human and floral details. This transformation connects the entire exhibition and permeates author-conceived everyday objects, where human anatomical details merge with organic botanical elements, blurring the boundaries between a living body and an inanimate object. In the gallery space, Podracký creates an environment where he hints at the possibility of an intimate connection between objects and people, seeking to present a different understanding of how these artifacts influence their surroundings, including their ability to create and deepen situations and social bonds.

Tadeáš Podracký’s works have been exhibited at numerous international trade fairs focusing on applied arts, as well as in galleries and institutions, including Chamber Gallery New York, Design Miami Basel, FOG San Francisco, Maison et Objet Paris, Mint Gallery London, Mudac Museum Lausanne, Designblok Prague, Salone del Mobile Milano, and London Design Festival. He has received several international awards, including the “Czech Grand Design” in the Discovery of the Year category and the “AD Design Award Germany” for “Vintage Reloaded.” He is represented by Side gallery in Barcelona, and since 2023, he has been co-leading the K.O.V. (Concept – Object – Meaning) studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, alongside Romana Drdová.

Převážně zkoumá, jak nové současné mytologie a artefakty dokáží posílit zakořeněnost, propojení a sounáležitost jako výsledek výměny mezi předměty a lidmi. Hlavním motivem, od kterého se celá výstava odvíjí, je skulpturální reliéf představující personifikaci smrti v podobě kostry, která se obrozuje a obrůstá lidskými a florálními detaily. Tento přerod propojuje celou výstavu a prochází autorsky pojatými předměty denní spotřeby, kde detaily lidské anatomie prorůstají do organických botanických prvků a tím mažou hranice mezi živoucím tělem a neživým objektem. V galerijním prostoru Podracký vytváří prostředí, kde nastiňuje možnost intimního propojení předmětů s lidmi a snaží se představit jiné chápání toho, jak tyto artefakty ovlivňují své okolí, včetně jejich schopnosti vytvářet a prohlubovat situace a společenské vazby.

Práce Tadeáše Podrackého byly vystavovány na mnoha zahraničních veletrzích zaměřených na užité umění, ale také v galeriích a institucích: např. v Chamber Gallery New York, Design Miami Basel, FOG San Francisco, Maison et Objet Paris, Mint Gallery London, Mudac Museum Lausanne, Designblok Prague, Salone del Mobile Milano, London Design Festival. Je držitelem několika mezinárodních ocenění, včetně „Czech Grand Design“ v kategorii objev roku a „AD Design Award Germany" „Vintage Reloaded". Je zastupován barcelonskou Side gallery a od roku 2023 je společně s Romanou Drdovou vedoucím ateliéru K.O.V. (Koncept – Objekt – Význam) na Vysoké škole uměleckoprůmyslové v Praze.