Rotrekl

Painter and illustrator Teodor Rotrekl (1923-2004) is not yet a classic of the Czech visual arts. He's known more as an illustrator for science fiction. Rotrekl was the first domestic artist to publicly exhibit a spatial assemblage, combine painting with photography, and experiment with the technique of pop art painting montages. His world-view was out of line with today's perception of the values of Czech post-war art, which was associated with creation that defined itself against the communist regime. He belonged amongst artists who identified themselves with the ruling political ideals of the 1950s and 1960s. After criticising the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, he was unable to exhibit his work, but remained a firm communist believer until his death. The monograph presents the entirety of Teodor Rotrekl's work, including applied art. At the same time, he analyses the cultural environment of socialist Czechoslovakia. He presents the period functions of popular educational illustrations and the ideological dimension of scientific fantasy and also discusses the relationship between Rotrekl's work and global pop art.

Product information

Concept / Editor: Tomáš Pospiszyl
Text author: Tomáš Pospiszyl
Graphic design: Studio Najbrt
year of issue: 2022
Number of pages: 336
Size: 240 × 280
Binding: V8, hardcover
Language: Czech
Publisher: Kunsthalle Praha