In school we are taught Doubt, and the Art of Forgetting – especially forgetting all that is personal and local. We live in time, which is successive, but we try to live sub specie aeternitatis. There are a few names from the past that are still with us, though the language tends to forget them. We avoid pointless precision. There is no chronology or history; no statistics, either..
Jorge Luis Borges – A Weary Man’s Utopia
Similar to the Latin American writer J. L. Borges, Jiří Matějů captures the world of experiences, events, and possibilities. He depicts the reality of the possible and wanders into places where you need metaphors. His artwork features light as the most impressive element, utilizing special pigments that create images that change with the angle of view. For Jiří Matějů, light is the source of everything in the world (Urlicht – Light), allowing us to connect with anything. He creates his works using a combination of harmony, mathematical-physical calculations, and a range of philosophical, theological, or scientific symbols from various centuries and civilizations, keeping a pure, minimalist form unencumbered by anything too descriptive. His style deliberately leaves elements unfinished to encourage the viewer’s intuition and stimulate personal associations. He aims to link the knowledge embedded in his works with individual experiences, cultivating a sense of self-awareness. Through his art, Jiří Matějů wants viewers to understand that reality is not limited to what they observe or acquire, but that it is also shaped by their unique perspectives and identities, including their past, dreams and current thoughts.
Curator Jan Čejka
