Time and Tide Wait for No Man Aleš Votava´s inter-objects
Current exhibition in Pálffy Palace
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Aleš Votava (1962–2001) designed a set for 51 dramas, 29 operas, 13 ballets and 8 plays staged by GUnaGU Theatre and held 13 solo shows. His works received the DOSKY Award for the best stage design (four times) and, shortly before his death, the prestigious Alfréd Radok Award for achievements in Czech theatre. Votava died at the age of 38 years.
For the first time, the exhibition presents Aleš Votava as a master of art objects, an artist transcending with ease the limits of his profession (“Set design is actually a constant search outside its own borders“), a creative, inventive man with a great sense of humour. Yet, his non-commissioned work also reveals his vulnerability, doubts and worries. These are often the most intimate messages of his prematurely closed work.
Votava´s objects can also be referred to as inter-objects because they are and are not jewellery, sculptures, machines, parts of costumes or stage designs. What to expect from a man who grew up reading Alice in Wonderland and had to illustrate it again? Votava´s work defies classification, as does a very creative and hard-working Aleš Votava.
I have seen some photographs of his works, which made me realize that he had excellent taste: refined, accurate, modern, and minimalistic. An excellent taste.
(Gintaras Varnas)
Organisers
The Theatre Institute, Bratislava City Gallery
Partners: Hlavné mesto SR Bratislava, Ministerstvo kultúry SR, Slovenská národná galéria
Exhibited works are on loan from collections of the Theatre Institute, Slovak National Gallery, and Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra, as well as from private collections.
With special thanks to Miloš Kopták, Tomáš Votava, Viliam Klimáček, Ctibor Bachratý, Martin Štrba, Ivica Barabášová, Juraj Johanides, Vladislav Rostoka, and the Slovart publishing house.
The Theatre Institute is a state-funded institution established by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic.
