Vaclav Pozarek
HOH (Hund ohne Hose)
09 Sep - 15 Nov 2017
VACLAV POZAREK
HOH (Hund ohne Hose)
9 September – 15 November 2017
Vaclav Pozarek often draws logos for his exhibitions. Similar to that for a company or a product, his 2012 exhibition in the Bündner Kunstmuseum in Chur was titled LOS (Library of Sculpture) and the show in Francesca Pia Gallery in Zurich he named WOT (Wieder ohne Titel / Again without Title). For his first solo exhibition at Barbara Wien in Berlin, he chose HOH (Hund ohne Hose / Dog without Trousers). When asked about the meaning behind the almost Dadaistic-sounding logo, Pozarek said, “Somehow it seems appropriate for Berlin.”
Also in conversations, Pozarek loves riddles, the open form that leads one to contemplate. He is a master of suggestion, refusing constricting concepts or visions of art. He was born in 1940 in České Budějovice (Czechoslovakia, today the Czech Republic), to the son of a hat manufacturer whose business was expropriated in 1948. Growing up there, Pozarek experienced first-hand all kinds of political aggression, spying and ludicrous impediments. For a long time, he had been denied of almost everything; the only remaining thing allowed was for him to become a toolmaker. However, later he found work as a typographer in Pilsen. In 1965/66, he succeeded in attending the film school in Prague, but today he states, “I backed out then. I was overwhelmed. I didn’t want to take a political stance, or contribute to the political interests. My concern was already with the modern typography of the 20s and 30s – and that’s also proof. After the war, when the communists came, these people were erased... there was no Jan Tschichold, no construction.” There was the official doctrine of Socialist Realism.
The fact that the art should serve a political purpose, was already, due to biographical reasons for Pozarek, off the cards. He left in 1968, first to Hamburg and London before settling in Bern. In London, he could study under Anthony Caro, immerse himself into the world of sculptures – both historical and contemporary – and find his path. It is exceptionally striking to note that very early on he imagined free and applied arts occurring naturally together. From this, it’s clear to see that Pozarek adopts the tradition, originating from the constructivists that art should have a creative impact on everyday life. However, he is also influenced by Richard Hamilton’s ideas. Everything was determined and, as seen from today’s perspective, resulted in a logical consequence: he was not only active as a typographer, book and poster designer in the 1950s, but to date he still designs graphics, book typography, furniture and exhibition layouts. Furthermore, he is developing a photographic work devoted to the history of sculpture and architecture. All of this runs homogenously and in parallel to the creation of his objects, with which he moves (as stated in the St. Gallener Sitterwerk’s press release) "with precise autonomy" between conceptual art and minimalism.
Since May 2017 Pozarek, who lives in Bern and has his studio in Thun, works in a guest studio in Sitterwerk in St. Gallen. The latter is where he draws and builds the sculptures for the HOH exhibition. All are new works, which will be brought together in Berlin to form an ensemble. Concerning his objects, Pozarek often allows chance findings to guide him. He uses scraps of wood, boxes, hinges and doors, keeping a close eye on what position each object will assume later in the space. There are sculptures for corner situations, box constellations, doors and picket fences, which in contrast to their former function, stand in the corner of the room and contain nothing, do not close and do not delineate. They are similar to everyday objects which are autonomous and functionless. They use nothing, they serve no purpose – not even an ideological or thematic function. They are constructions, obstacles and absurd vehicles for the minds of the beholders.
When I visited him in St. Gallen shortly before the exhibition, I asked about these functionless everyday forms. He said, “Yes, I’m looking for forms in this direction, because I’m not telling a dramatic story.” He mostly paints his objects red-brown and egg-shell-kitchen-white, both colours connoting dated furnishings. Concerning this choice, Pozarek said: “I don’t have colours that transfer something or are agents for an emotion. At best would be no colour at all. But because the objects and sculptures are often made from various kinds of wood and colours, a uniformed skin is needed, like a coat [...] This red-brown colour is nothing, right? It’s like a primer [...] Yellow stands for envy, doesn’t it? So, every colour stands for something. And the red-brown [...] - it means, ‘wait, a colour is yet to be applied on top!‘” Then I asked about the drawings for Berlin. Amongst others there’s a series with plotted star shapes. He said: “That obviously doesn’t have anything to do with the universe, it’s “Zero-Construction”, “a game of finding new variations.” Similarly, the book 50/50, printed in České Budějovice and published by Wiens Verlag in conjunction with the HOH exhibition, is a game. It is an artists‘ book - an object, designed like a flip-book. The book begins with a circular, red-brown, printed surface, measuring 25mm in diameter. It grows; a progression looms. I asked Pozarek if it is a game: “It’s simply nonsense as a book, right?” I insisted and called the book a film - an abstract film, to which Pozarek responded: “I would say: ‘Light in the tunnel’! [...] You see the first page and the last page and know what’s going to happen. You’re caught on the wrong foot. It’s like a trap.”
As I make my way from St. Gallen back to Berlin, I listen again to our conversation and think: what a present, this reluctance, this refusal of larger allegations. It fits with Pozarek’s gentle and careful handling of the world and the beholder.
Barbara Wien
Vaclav Pozarek (*1940 in České Budějovice, CSSR). 1965-66 studied Fim Directing at the Prague Film Academy. 1968 Pozarek left Czechoslovakia and moved to Switzerland. From 1969 until 1971 he studied at the College of Fine Arts in Hamburg, 1971 and 1973 at St. Martin’s School of Art in London under Anthony Caro. From London, he returned to Bern, where he still lives today. 1986 foreign scholarship from the canton of Bern in Paris. 1987 studio scholarship from the city of Bern in New York. 1992-93 he lived in Berlin as a scholarship holder of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service); solo exhibition. Since 1993 Pozarek occasionally travels back to Prague. 1994-2005 Lecturer at the Bern University of the Arts. Significant solo exhibitions: 1995 Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau; 2004 Kunstmuseum Winterthur; 2007 Kunsthaus Glarus, 2012 Bündner Kunstmuseum, Chur; 2015 Kunstmuseum Solothurn.
Vaclav Pozarek, 50/50
48 pages, illustrated throughout, 28 x 24 cm, thread stitching, edition of 500 numbered copies.
Wiens Verlag, Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-943888-12-6
One numbered and signed special edition is in the pipeline.
HOH (Hund ohne Hose)
9 September – 15 November 2017
Vaclav Pozarek often draws logos for his exhibitions. Similar to that for a company or a product, his 2012 exhibition in the Bündner Kunstmuseum in Chur was titled LOS (Library of Sculpture) and the show in Francesca Pia Gallery in Zurich he named WOT (Wieder ohne Titel / Again without Title). For his first solo exhibition at Barbara Wien in Berlin, he chose HOH (Hund ohne Hose / Dog without Trousers). When asked about the meaning behind the almost Dadaistic-sounding logo, Pozarek said, “Somehow it seems appropriate for Berlin.”
Also in conversations, Pozarek loves riddles, the open form that leads one to contemplate. He is a master of suggestion, refusing constricting concepts or visions of art. He was born in 1940 in České Budějovice (Czechoslovakia, today the Czech Republic), to the son of a hat manufacturer whose business was expropriated in 1948. Growing up there, Pozarek experienced first-hand all kinds of political aggression, spying and ludicrous impediments. For a long time, he had been denied of almost everything; the only remaining thing allowed was for him to become a toolmaker. However, later he found work as a typographer in Pilsen. In 1965/66, he succeeded in attending the film school in Prague, but today he states, “I backed out then. I was overwhelmed. I didn’t want to take a political stance, or contribute to the political interests. My concern was already with the modern typography of the 20s and 30s – and that’s also proof. After the war, when the communists came, these people were erased... there was no Jan Tschichold, no construction.” There was the official doctrine of Socialist Realism.
The fact that the art should serve a political purpose, was already, due to biographical reasons for Pozarek, off the cards. He left in 1968, first to Hamburg and London before settling in Bern. In London, he could study under Anthony Caro, immerse himself into the world of sculptures – both historical and contemporary – and find his path. It is exceptionally striking to note that very early on he imagined free and applied arts occurring naturally together. From this, it’s clear to see that Pozarek adopts the tradition, originating from the constructivists that art should have a creative impact on everyday life. However, he is also influenced by Richard Hamilton’s ideas. Everything was determined and, as seen from today’s perspective, resulted in a logical consequence: he was not only active as a typographer, book and poster designer in the 1950s, but to date he still designs graphics, book typography, furniture and exhibition layouts. Furthermore, he is developing a photographic work devoted to the history of sculpture and architecture. All of this runs homogenously and in parallel to the creation of his objects, with which he moves (as stated in the St. Gallener Sitterwerk’s press release) "with precise autonomy" between conceptual art and minimalism.
Since May 2017 Pozarek, who lives in Bern and has his studio in Thun, works in a guest studio in Sitterwerk in St. Gallen. The latter is where he draws and builds the sculptures for the HOH exhibition. All are new works, which will be brought together in Berlin to form an ensemble. Concerning his objects, Pozarek often allows chance findings to guide him. He uses scraps of wood, boxes, hinges and doors, keeping a close eye on what position each object will assume later in the space. There are sculptures for corner situations, box constellations, doors and picket fences, which in contrast to their former function, stand in the corner of the room and contain nothing, do not close and do not delineate. They are similar to everyday objects which are autonomous and functionless. They use nothing, they serve no purpose – not even an ideological or thematic function. They are constructions, obstacles and absurd vehicles for the minds of the beholders.
When I visited him in St. Gallen shortly before the exhibition, I asked about these functionless everyday forms. He said, “Yes, I’m looking for forms in this direction, because I’m not telling a dramatic story.” He mostly paints his objects red-brown and egg-shell-kitchen-white, both colours connoting dated furnishings. Concerning this choice, Pozarek said: “I don’t have colours that transfer something or are agents for an emotion. At best would be no colour at all. But because the objects and sculptures are often made from various kinds of wood and colours, a uniformed skin is needed, like a coat [...] This red-brown colour is nothing, right? It’s like a primer [...] Yellow stands for envy, doesn’t it? So, every colour stands for something. And the red-brown [...] - it means, ‘wait, a colour is yet to be applied on top!‘” Then I asked about the drawings for Berlin. Amongst others there’s a series with plotted star shapes. He said: “That obviously doesn’t have anything to do with the universe, it’s “Zero-Construction”, “a game of finding new variations.” Similarly, the book 50/50, printed in České Budějovice and published by Wiens Verlag in conjunction with the HOH exhibition, is a game. It is an artists‘ book - an object, designed like a flip-book. The book begins with a circular, red-brown, printed surface, measuring 25mm in diameter. It grows; a progression looms. I asked Pozarek if it is a game: “It’s simply nonsense as a book, right?” I insisted and called the book a film - an abstract film, to which Pozarek responded: “I would say: ‘Light in the tunnel’! [...] You see the first page and the last page and know what’s going to happen. You’re caught on the wrong foot. It’s like a trap.”
As I make my way from St. Gallen back to Berlin, I listen again to our conversation and think: what a present, this reluctance, this refusal of larger allegations. It fits with Pozarek’s gentle and careful handling of the world and the beholder.
Barbara Wien
Vaclav Pozarek (*1940 in České Budějovice, CSSR). 1965-66 studied Fim Directing at the Prague Film Academy. 1968 Pozarek left Czechoslovakia and moved to Switzerland. From 1969 until 1971 he studied at the College of Fine Arts in Hamburg, 1971 and 1973 at St. Martin’s School of Art in London under Anthony Caro. From London, he returned to Bern, where he still lives today. 1986 foreign scholarship from the canton of Bern in Paris. 1987 studio scholarship from the city of Bern in New York. 1992-93 he lived in Berlin as a scholarship holder of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service); solo exhibition. Since 1993 Pozarek occasionally travels back to Prague. 1994-2005 Lecturer at the Bern University of the Arts. Significant solo exhibitions: 1995 Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau; 2004 Kunstmuseum Winterthur; 2007 Kunsthaus Glarus, 2012 Bündner Kunstmuseum, Chur; 2015 Kunstmuseum Solothurn.
Vaclav Pozarek, 50/50
48 pages, illustrated throughout, 28 x 24 cm, thread stitching, edition of 500 numbered copies.
Wiens Verlag, Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-943888-12-6
One numbered and signed special edition is in the pipeline.