AS IS | Dominik Mareš

Artist

From Ostrava, Moravskoslezsky region, Czechia

Based in Prague, Czechia

Dominik Mareš works dominantly with structural abstract painting, occasionally he also creates objects. In his works, he channels inspiration gained from nature, light, contemporary society, and human stories. Although, as he admits, he used to approach his creative process ardently and with fervor, these days he's much more self-possessed and mellow, thoughtfully creating works with their intended context in mind

The Little Prince - it's my little son, it's every child born into this world pure, waiting to be discovered surrounded by encompassing infinity.

A: Please, tell us a bit more about yourself. What brought you to art?

D: When I was in elementary school - back during hard communism - our teacher asked us to draw that day. All the kids drew suns and clouds. Not me. I drew lines and dots - it was windy (lines) and raining (dots). I got an F. I would clash a lot with that teacher. Years later her son told me that I was the pupil she would mention the most at home. "That Marešboy, he's a character," she would say.

As kids, we'd build dams in streams from the mud. Then, when you poked a hole in it with a stick - it only took a small hole - the dame broke and the water poured over. Unstoppable. It was similar with me and art.

A: What inspires you the most?

D: One evening, my friends told me about their new place - a dark, cold, and stark flat in a shadowy courtyard. I painted a picture for them - a big canvas, colorful, symbolizing power, hope, and perseverance. I painted it specifically for them. Stories - that's what inspires me. I paint canvases for people or for the places they're meant to hang in.

A: Do you have any specific rituals while working (creating)?

D: I consider rituals a thing of the past - a time when I used to work under pressure. I also used to listen to loud music. Now I have inner balance. I don't need rituals anymore. All I need is the light pouring through the sunroofs in my new studio. I don't listen to music, I prefer podcasts - I like to educate myself while working.

A: What would you recommend to someone new to art (an artist or just an admirer),what to begin with?

D: To never give up.

A: How do you like to approach art?

D: These past centuries art has been understood as a luxury only reserved for a small group of people, but I think art is what defines us as humans. We don't only chase food and procreation. We long for beauty. The prehistoric man drew pictures of mammoths on cave walls. Art is a record. It's something we've always craved to be surrounded by - beauty.

A: Your favorite Czech artists?

D: There are people whose genius influences you, and then there are people, artists, who are my friends. When we meet, we don't talk about work, we talk like grown-ups - about life, love, pain - and I know then that I'm not alone.

A: Is there a piece of art you think embodies the Czech national spirit and culture? Why?

D: Yes, it's enigmatic, nonviolent, timeless, and has a certain lightness to it. It's in my studio; come have a look.

A: How do you like to connect with others through art?

D: With passion, fiercely, knowledgeably; with the understanding that I'm wrong and open to accepting a different opinion.

A: Where can we meet you?

D: In Vodičkova Street or in my beloved Old Prague.

A: Is there any quote or idea that has guided you in your work and/or life?

D: One word: awakening. At the Nový Dvůr Monastery in Dobrá Voda - I wasn't looking for solace or salvation. We were expecting our first child and I wanted to pray and thank for the gift. And it came to me then, and I could feel it was the right word for me. Let anyone come to their own interpretation, no need to say more about this.

Thank you!

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