Life under Communism and beyond

 

Childhood

I was born in 1962 in Prague, then in Communist Czechoslovakia.  Both my parents were non-conformist artists and my early life was more struggle than joy. It was a great lark to talk on a tapped phone about my broken doll, blaming the secret police for the doll’s condition. In the 60s my father often exhibited his pictures in the open air next to the National Theatre or on the Charles bridge. My parents managed to establish a UNESCO recognised "International association of independent artists" prior to the 1968 Soviet invasion, which was observed with great suspicion during the ensuing “Normalization”. I remember  a police raid and an attempt to arrest my father in early morning hours and several house searches.

We lived in the centre of Prague.  My father made his studio in a refurbished cellar of the Kaunitz Palace which became a meeting place for artists, musicians, dissidents, and also undercover agents. I took my first English lessons from the girlfriend of a dissident folk singer who was later forced by the regime to emigrate. Later I would listen to him on the illegal radio Free Europe. From an early age I used to comment on my parents art, understanding the golden ratio and other aspects of harmony and beauty.

Career

After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, I worked in education, business and  charitable sectors. I found my purpose in human rights advocacy defending educational rights of Romani and Gypsy children. After a visiting fellowship at University of Cambridge in (1997/98) I developed and taught several courses at Charles University. My academic research brought me to Oxford in 2002 and 2004. I relocated and started a comfortable life in one of the most democratic and richest countries in the world. A decade later I became depressed and I turned to art for new purpose and healing.

Inspiration

My mother was a talented sculptor who suffered from manic depression and committed suicide on Easter Monday 1990. Only now, through my own art, I am beginning to understand her feelings.  My very first picture was a watercolour portrait of my mum, made from an old photo. After watercolour I turned to oil and focussed on sacred geometric patterns. Then for a period I painted reiki symbols in oil on canvas and wood, at first large, becoming smaller.  When I started to make ceramics I vividly felt my mother’s inpiration: ambiguity, humour and suffering.  Art is a way of exploring my emotions; to honour my deceased parents, to healing and recovery. 

Training

I have been taking Fine art classes at the Ruskin College in Oxford, silversmithing and pottery classes at the City of Oxford College and various ad hoc classes. For the first time I appreciate the experience I gained working as an assistant in my father’s studio in 1980s.

Exhibitions

I exhibited my first few drawings at Mind in Cowley in 2016. I contributed several oil paintings to a group exhibition at the Psychedelic Circus at the Cellar in Oxford in September 2016 and at the Psychedelic Saturnalia at EOCC Oxford in December 2017. I will  be exhibiting two ceramic figures at The Fairtrade at St Michaels Artweeks Exhibition (Sat 12th - Sat 19th May 2018). The figures are from my series Female power and are called Autochtonous Power and Indigenous Love.