Jiří Straka

Jiří Straka (1967). The close connection with China, which has become his second home and whose culture has influenced his entire oeuvre, is significant for the prominent contemporary artist Jiří Straka. The background for his work is almost exclusively rice paper, which corresponds with his minimalist, yet energetic and lively form. The traditional methods and techniques of Chinese ink painting are intertwined with elements of the Western artistic tradition in an original way in his paintings. The legacy of classical realist painting, which for hundreds of years has dealt with issues of space and perspective, mixes in his conception with Asian culture, which emphasises simplicity and everyday life, tranquility and the very fragile transience of life.