The opening will take place on Tuesday 20 May at 5 p.m.

Šimon Szabo is currently immersed in marble. While many sculptors take the route of non-sculptural materials and use literally anything they get their hands on, Šimon is stubbornly committed to marble – an exalted substance, one might almost say the supreme sculptural material. The density of this metamorphosed carbonate rock is among the highest of any mineral substance, so even small sculptures are quite heavy. The weight of marble sculptures contrasts with the gentle softness of their surface effect. The visual and haptic appeal of marble is reflected in its enduring popularity among sculptors, dating back thousands of years – and Šimon Szabo’s work is helping to ensure that it will not be lost from sight. Although his sculptures carry a powerful sexual charge and are based on a definitional framework made up of contrasting positions, they do not feel vulgar or subversive. Their strong impact comes from the precision of their craftsmanship, their thoughtfully balanced composition, their pleasing scale, and also the soothing effect of the marble itself. 

Jaroslav Michna

Curator: Jaroslav Michna
Text: Jaroslav Michna
Translation: Christopher Hopkinson
Graphic design: Katarína Jamrišková
Promotion: Jana Malášek Šrubařová, Magdaléna Staňková

The Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava is opening up a space that used to be a lecture hall as a new venue for short-term independent interventions and projects by young and middle-generation artists. The aim is to create a kind of lab for experimenting, playing and creativity – all of which are natural attributes of Ostrava’s young artists. The concept will further enhance the gallery’s long-standing collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Ostrava, offering students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of the art scene. We are confident that the broad platform offered by the faculty (encompassing not only fine art, but also production and performing arts) will help to create a multidisciplinary, open community environment. The second exhibition will present the work of the photographer Terezie Foldynová.

Jiří Jůza