Jiří Kolář (Czech, 1914-2002)
'Zamilovana Vez', 1980

signed 'JK' and dated'80' (lower right) and titled 'Zamilovana Vez' (reverse)
collage
(unframed)

ARR

Dimensions: 26 x 26 cm. (10 1/5 x 10 1/5 in.)

Albemarle Gallery, London
Private Collection, London

Jiří Kolář was a Czech artist and poet known for his innovative fusion of visual art and literature, particularly through his pioneering use of collage techniques. Initially gaining recognition as a poet, Kolář shifted toward visual art in the 1950s, developing unique methods such as chiasmage (cutting and reassembling texts or images), rollage (interweaving strips of images), and prollage (using fragments of photographs). His work often explored the fragmentation of language and perception, reflecting the tensions of life under an oppressive political regime in Czechoslovakia. Kolář’s art challenged conventional forms and censorship, blending Dadaist and Surrealist influences to create thought-provoking juxtapositions that questioned the nature of reality, history, and communication. He was associated with and influenced by key figures of the European avant-garde, including Kurt Schwitters, Max Ernst, and Marcel Duchamp, and collaborated with Czech artists such as Zdeněk Sýkora and members of Group 42, a collective of writers and artists focused on modern urban life. Despite facing political persecution, including imprisonment, his work gained international acclaim and is now held in major museum collections such as Museum Kampa and the National Gallery in Prague, the West Bohemian Gallery in Plzeň, and the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid.