Sculptor
From Třinec, Moravskoslezský region, Czechia
Based in Zlín, Zlín region, Czechia
Radim Hanke usually works with the figure in his works, yet he regularly strays towards minimalism and abstraction. The pieces he creates decorate many public spaces, and despite the heaviness of the materials he uses, his pieces retain a pleasant lightness and delicacy.
Ofélie, 2020, leštěná nerez. Autor fotografie: Libor Stavjaník
A: Please, tell us a bit more about yourself. What brought you to art?
R: I took after-school violin classes in Třinec. The academy also had an art department I would sometimes peek into. My mom once sent me to the art teacher to evaluate my talent. He suggested I stick to the violin, but on that day, I saw the teacher sculpt a beautiful woman's head and I was so fascinated I have never wanted to do anything else since. I began to create many busts, at first from soil from the garden and later from clay from construction sites and cemeteries. That was around the year 1974...
A: What inspires you the most?
R: The moment before full awakening...
A: Do you have any specific rituals while working (creating)?
R: My morning coffee and the gradual kick-off before I immerse myself in work...
A: What would you recommend to someone new to art (whether an artist or just an admirer), what to begin with?
R: To observe humans, nature, the best examples of their portrayal from art history... and to dream and have a philosophy of your own.
A: Your top 3 phrases/words related to art?
R: The figure, built from the inside both formally and spiritually, the beauty of form, and the interconnection of perspectives into one whole.
A: Your favorite Czech artists?
R: Josef Václav Myslbek, Otto Gutfreund, Josef Lada, Zdeněk Burian... They all mastered the expression of form and content. But there are so many more.
A: What piece of art do you think embodies the Czech national spirit, culture, and mentality? Why?
R: Perhaps the most beautiful sculpture I know is St. Agnes on J. V. Myslbek's Statue of St. Wenceslas.
A: The perfect phrase to start any conversation about art is: ...?
R: I start differently each time... the connection is formed through a shared experience in front of a piece of art. Even though everyone will understand the same thing differently, we can share the fascination...
A: Where can we meet you most often?
R: You can meet me at my studio, the schools where I teach (Private Higher Vocational School of Arts and the Tomáš Baťa University, both in Zlín), on the street, in the woods, in cafes... I work everywhere I go, even though it may not look like it at first glance...
A: Please, share your favorite quote (not necessarily related to art):
R: “Art does not reproduce the visible but makes visible.” - Paul Klee
Thank you!
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