About the project
CZEN
Artlist — Center for Contemporary Arts Prague

Milan Salák

First Name
Milan
Surname
Salák
Born
1973
Birth place
Prague
Place of work
Prague
Website
www.salak.info
www.karlinstudios.cz/artists/salak.htm
Keywords
CSU Library
↳ Find in the catalogue

About artist

Milan Salák intervenes in a multidisciplinary way in contemporary art operations. Beside independent art works he also focuses on curatorial and critical activities. The artist’s approach bears traits of engagement. He requires that his artistic activity devote itself to social, political and cultural contemplation and critique. The artist has served on organisational committees for thematic exhibits (Sport-Gallery, Green/Zelená, Source of New Style, etc.). These exhibits expressed a new curatorial approach, different from traditional group or artist-focused presentation.

 

The bonding link of these events became a certain current socio-cultural theme that of course did not have an expressed sociological nor theoretic nature. This theme can be understood rather as a metaphor, expressing unconscious social phenomena and stereotypes. Drawing attention to the common, or the seemingly non-problematic, plays a marked role in Salák’s activities. Sometimes in this way he exposes his own personal „myths“: an obsessive interest in maps, aviation technology, etc. Elsewhere he works with „evident“ stereotypes and conventions of contemporary Czech society (media images, logos, sports, entertainment). He tries to expose new societal types (icons), methods of discussion, dress (civil uniforms). His artefacts thus oftentimes have a simplified symbolic form (albeit highly professional) that facilitates communication with the viewer. The viewer is often provoked and attacked. Sometimes the media image is merely recoded: the positive pole is flipped to the negative (a car becomes a skull, Conan the Barbarian becomes Onan the Barbarian). Salák focuses on the simple and readability of his works. He wants to elicit a concrete reaction from his viewers, to eliminate any type of confusion derived from possible misunderstanding. Visual communication is also an area tied to the artist’s pedagogic activities. The artist’s approach is to a large degree conceptual. Thought here plays out, however, in concrete, visual codes, which are not a mere illustration of theoretical hypotheses.

 

Author of the annotation
Václav Hájek

CV

1995-1996 High School of Arts and Crafts (VŠUP), Prague, studio of prof. P. Nešleha

1992-1999 Academy of fine art (ART), Prague, studios of prof. B. Dlouhý, M. Knížák, J. David

1987-1991 Secondary School of Fine Arts Václav Holar (VŠVH), Prague

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions
(selection)

2007
Guerilla, galerie H, arts, Bukureš

2006
Salak33, Altán Klamovka, Praha
Guerilla, galerie Karlín Studios, Praha

2005
Lozenge, galerie Nábøeží, Praha
Turbinenman, Preproduction space, Berlín

2004
Room of Hero, galerie Darlington, Stevenage, UK

2003
Two Horizons, galerie Display, Praha

2002
Mapscapes, galerie Salamander, Olomouc
Group exhibitions not included in ARTLIST.
(selection)

2008
Současný český kubismus, GHMP, Praha

2007
Sovereign Art Price 2007 – finalists, London
Safe, galerie Karlín Studios, Praha

2006
Duch, hrdina, stroj, galerie Médium, Bratislava
Slepí muži přemìřují slona, galerie C2C, Praha
Přehlídka současného umění, Galerie Mars, Moskva
Sommerschpiele, galerie Nábřeží, Praha
Check point, galerie Nod, Praha
Inscape, galerie NCA, Moskva

2005
PragueBienale 2, Praha
Inscape, Galerie kritiků, Praha

2004
1. ročník malířského sympózia, Galerie Brno, Brno
Space camp, Kolovratský palác, Praha

2003
3. Zlínský salon mladých, Zlín
Perfekt tense/Malba dnes, Jízdárna pražského hradu, Praha

2000
Hnízda her, galerie Rudolfinum, Praha
Chalupáři, Praha
2. Zlínský salon mladých, Zlín
Dokouřeno, výstavní síň Mánes, Praha

1999
Sentimenty, Městská galerie, Karlovy vary
Trezory, Galerie AVU, Praha

1998
Snížený rozpoèet, výstavní síň Mánes, Praha
Poslední obraz, galerie Rudolfinum, Praha

1996
Mladí a neklidní, Městská galerie, Karlovy vary

1995
POSTAIDS, Galerie AVU, Praha

1993
To, co zbývá, Štenclův dům, Praha
Other realisations

(selection of curatorial projects)

 

2006

Chaplin Resident Fighter (společně s J. Davidem a J. Kadlecem), galerie Futura, Praha

 

2005

Videocamp, Altán Klamovka, Praha

 

2003

Obsese sběru, OGV Jihlava, Jihlava

Jarní Sklizeň, galerie Tvrdohlaví, Praha

 

2000

Enkláva (společně s J. Ruchařovou), Praha

Jižní záležitost (společně s V. Soukupem), České Budějovice

Zdroje nového stylu (společně s J. Kadlecem), Jízdárna pražského Hradu, Praha

Nevystavujete v roce 2001, Galerie VŠUP, Praha

 

1999

99CZ (společně s J. Davidem a J. Kadlecem), Praha

 

1998

Sport-Gallery (společně s J. Dolejšem a J. Kadlecem), Strahov, Praha

Zelená (společně s J. Kadlecem), Galerie AVU, Praha

Boystory (společně s J. Dolejšem a J. Kadlecem), Praha

Monography

Center for Contemporary Arts Prague www.fcca.cz 2006–2024
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