AS IS | Pavlína Kvita

Artist

From Rožnov pod Radhošťem, Zlín region, Czechia

Based in Prague, Czechia

Pavlína Kvita has focused on abstract sculpture, creating headless torsos of various form which combine a sense of the familiar and approachable with the disturbing unknown. Her works reflect themes of the human presence and its effects on the environment, lately she's been expressing her internal experiences, natural cycles, and the archetypes through her work.

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

P: I found my way to art as a child. I come from Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, from a family with a history in hospitality, not art. My father may have been a chef but he had talent for art and poetic expression. My maternal grandfather was friends with Ilja Hartinger, a painter from Valašsko, whose many paintings decorated our home. Since nursery I had been taking art classes all the way through to adolescence. It was then that my family decided we'd had enough chefs in the family, and supported me in my artistic endeavours. I was accepted into the Secondary School of Arts in Uherské Hradiště where I studied stone sculpture and eventually studied sculpture under Jaroslav Róna at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.

A: What inspires you the most?

P: It used to be the observable world. I was interested in architecture and the concept of suburbanisation. After my first child was born and I lost a loved one, my focus shifted inward, to my internal experiences. I needed to process those. The past couple years I've been examining the symbolical legacy of elemental archetypes in my sculptures and objects. The line I follow is not linear but cyclical - from birth to extinction. I find inspiration in occult arts, reality which transcends the mundane life, and the deep changes happening at our core.

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

P: Yes, I find the best moment to think about my work is when I'm putting my younger child to sleep. It's a moment of absolute peace and relaxation following the eventful day. In this moment, removed from time passing, new thoughts and ideas start to emerge.

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

P: To not be afraid. Try to find a mentor who could consult your work with you and help you grow.

A: Your top 3 words of phrases or phrases related to art?

P: Toil, emotion, inner world.

A: Your favorite Czech artists?

P: Even though it's formally entirely removed from my own work, I enjoy Czech performance art from the 60s to the 90s. At the time, people had very limited options and yet managed to find ways to express themselves. I also admire the work and character of Adriena Šimotová, her delicate yet powerful frotage pieces.

A: What piece of art do you think embodies the Czech national spirit and culture?Why?

P: I appreciate interventions that have a wider effect on the society. I followed with interest in the red trunks incident at the Prague Castle. I understand Kateřina Šedá's conceptual work in a similar way. She processes various local Czech phenomena or the Czech societal context in her works. I find this kind of art to reflect the Czech society well.

A: The perfect way to start any conversation about art is: ..?

P: Depending on the situation. For example, at an exhibition opening you can begin with an opinion and an interpretation of the exhibited works. Or even better, you can share relevant tips or knowledge from your area of interest. Sharing of information and thoughts in person makes for a completely different experience than online.

A: Where can we meet you?

P: For a couple years now I've had a studio in Vysočany, Prague with my husband and other friends-artists, called Prám. Thanks to this amazing place I have not only a space I can work in, but also contact and closeness with people I appreciate, in an arrangement that is enriching for everyone involved.

A: Please, share your favorite motto or idea (not necessarily related to art):

P: "We do not disappear without a trace. We leave a wake that never quite disappears, a gash in time that we so laboriously leave behind us." - Lars S. Christensen

Thank you!

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