The exhibition places the work of painter Antonín Tomalík (1939–1968), a native of Jablunkov, in the context of the works of his friends. It explores the historical context within which the artist's work was formed. It highlights the ideological interests with which he identified. Initially, these included biblical themes, in which he found analogies with his life experiences; subsequently, he literally found himself in gestural painting and structural abstraction, which offered him possibilities for self-expression from the turn of the 1950s and 1960s. Through these styles, he exposed the heaviness of existential feelings produced by the totalitarian regime. In this regard, Tomalík was among the most daring creators. This is also why he remained faithful to structural abstraction. At the end of the 1960s, he returned to parables that were able to convey the depth of the experienced crisis – however, he could not overcome it.

Mahulena Nešlehová, Curator

EXHIBITING ARTISTS: Antonín Tomalík, Zdeněk Beran, Vladimír Boudník, Jan Hendrych, Miloslav Hotový, Čestmír Janošek, Jan Koblasa, Antonín Málek, Pavel Nešleha, Zbyšek Sion, Jan Steklík, Jiří Valenta, and Aleš Veselý