After a nearly five-and-a-half-month run, The Soul of Moravia: Joža Uprka Reprised came to a close on Sunday, March 29 at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The exhibition brought together over 120 works from the collection of George Drost, thoughtfully organized into thematic sections that traced Uprka’s engagement with Moravian life, folk traditions, … Read More
In Reaction to the Machine: Nostalgia, Tradition, and a Return to the Hand-made
As of late, AI has been a hot topic—for many reasons, but particularly within the arts. This is not the first time that art has transformed in response to emerging technologies, nor is it the first moment in history when technological advancements have fundamentally reshaped the ways in which art is both created and consumed. When looking at the intersection … Read More
The Painter of Surfaces: Technique and Perception in Moravian Life
Early criticism of Joža Uprka often focused on his remarkable technical skill and keen eye for visual detail, qualities that led some critics to describe him as a “painter of surfaces.” While his works were praised for their precise observation of color, texture, and form, Uprka’s great-grandson, Jan Benedik, arges that the emotional depth viewers sometimes perceive in his paintings … Read More
Little Details, Magnified: Vojtech Preissig & Czechia’s Olympic Outfits
As the Olympians competing in Milan-Cortina going into their last and final week, Czechia’s opening ceremony outfits have garnered all types of attention and mixed reviews. Rather than the typical white coats seen through previous years, the Czech athletes fashioned bright and bold color-blocked knitwear. The eye-catching designs, pitched by Milan Jaroš, were inspired by Czech artist and typographer Vojtech … Read More
The Complicated Legacy of Jan Uprka
Despite following in his father’s artistic footsteps, Jan Uprka is unfortunately known for his involvement in a much more controversial career—participating in the fascist party during the occupation of Czechoslovakia. While his father, Joža Uprka, became internationally celebrated for his depictions of Moravian folk life, Jan never achieved comparable artistic recognition. Living in the shadow of his acclaimed father could … Read More
Uprka’s Postcards: The Circulation of Modernism and Folk Tradition
Mailed or not, these postcards served as a distribution network for aesthetics, a way for outwardly-oriented visual artists to inject their ideas directly into culture, engaging with the world at large.” –Kyle Chayka, Hyperallergic Postcards allowed images to move quickly and cheaply across borders, circulating ideas well beyond galleries and private collections. For artists whose work was oriented toward … Read More