Artist
From Prague, Czechia
Based in Prague, Czechia
Kateřina Štenclová has worked exclusively with abstraction, pure color, and the balance of geometry and organic form. She doesn't conceal symbolic meanings in her canvases, instead, she gives spotlight to their physicality and relationship with the space they are installed in.
A: Please, tell us a bit more about yourself. What brought you to art?
K: I made the decision about my future path during the restraining communist regime which made my choice quite simple. I picked an occupation I could truly believe in, where I could seek freedom of expression and independence from the system.
A: What inspires you the most?
K: I am inspired by everything I see. It may sound banal but it's true: colors, forms, interrelationships of individual visual components... I observe them and let them surprise me, then draw from those moments.
A: Do you have any specific rituals while working (creating)?
K: I listen to inspiring music whose atmosphere I find creative and profound. I tune into it rather subliminally, then I can work intuitively.
A: What would you recommend to someone new to art (an artist or just an admirer), what to begin with?
K: I'd recommend the artist to choose to create from their own inner need, not for attention. Begin with learning to be able to concentrate and be by themselves with their work, and primarily follow their instinct. Being authentic and conscientious is essential, but so is staying curious and open-minded.
A: Your top 3 words of phrases or phrases related to art?
K: If an artwork speaks to me it's through its authenticity and the ability to capture thoughts visually, ie. presenting new, unexpected ideas and the way they are processed.
A: Your favorite Czech artists?
K: It's easier for me to judge the icons of Czech fine arts. When it comes to contemporary artists, it comes and goes depending on my mood, it's not as straightforward. These are the artists that caught my attention: Tomáš Hlavina, Daniel Hanzlík, Dagmar Šubrtová, Sofie Fargo-Švejdová, Vladimír Houdek.
From deceased artists, I like Karel Malich's works for his treatment of color, delicacy, sense of space, and search for simplicity but not at the cost of individuality. I also like Eva Kmentová and the Vála sisters for their tenderness, contrasted with monumentality. I like the Gothic Mater of the Třeboň Altarpiece and the 1920s Bohuslav Reynek for the lightness of their poetry, and later works of Aleš Veselý for his clean form and minimalism.
A: What piece of art do you think embodies the Czech national spirit and culture? Why?
K: Probably Antonín Dvořák's From the New World symphony; precisely because it was created abroad, it reveals the longing for his Czech home. It radiates the fearless and broad-minded confrontation of his Czech origin with globality. I see a message in it that I'd like to see reflected in our national symbolism and culture.
A: The perfect way to start any conversation about art is: ..?
K: It depends on who I am with, but very simply: "What has caught your attention recently in the art world?" With a question and openness.
A: Where can we meet you?
K: You can find me in my studio thinking and working, in nature with my dog, or all kinds of contemporary art galleries in Prague.
A: Please, share your favorite motto or idea (not necessarily related to art):
K: I have a motto: "Observe."
Thank you!
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