Graduates

Cars stole the show at this year’s exhibition of graduates from the Fine Arts Academy (AVU) in Prague. Vít Novotný’s massive ”Batmobile” made from solid wood hunkered in front of Veletržní Palác and the artist (from Karel Nepraš’ studio of sculpture), gave free rides around the building.
Once inside the exposition viewers discovered Jitka Havlíčková’s (Miloš Šejn’s studio of conceptual tendencies) seemingly fragile and airy old Škoda, entirely woven from white ro-pe, haunting the center of the room.
Other interesting works displayed in the divided space of the large hall included manipulated photographs by Patricie Fexová (Vladimír Skrepl’s painting studio), fanciful paintings by Filip Kudrnáč (Antonín Střížek’s painting studio, see New Faces, p. 84), and a technically sophisticated project by Radka Müllerová (Milan Knížák’s studio of intermedia). Alto-gether the exhibition presented 33 freshly certified students including painters, sculptors, intermedia ar-tists, restorers, and architects.
In the catalogue art historian Milena Slavická gives the students farewell speech on the school’s behalf in a maternal text full of splendid meta-phors that warn the graduates of the difficult role of artists. She entreaties them to avoid the commercial world in their careers, to be blessed by the Muses and engender the ability to conquer their own egos. Given the fact that some of artists are over thirty and others made sure to exhibit and even sell work during their studies, such advice may be coming one day after the fair. Next year it might be more worth while to give such advice to prepare students for their professional lives while they are still isolated from the world in their college days.
Vladan Šír

01.03.2001