The exhibition presents a cycle of paintings thematizing the world of adolescents, their feelings of alienation and vulnerability. The topic of children's mental health has recently been appearing in the media, in sociological and psychological research, pop culture, and the film industry. Analyses examine whether the adolescent psyche is more agitated by toxic social networks, global threats from war, the climate, or technology. Or is the absent parent to blame, or perhaps the lack of free time? Aware of these challenges and using symbols referring to childhood, the artist creates nostalgic images calling for safety, friendship, and love. However, this experience is disrupted in the paintings, and instead of a joyful youth, a fragile feeling of unattainability remains.
Martina Drozd Smutná views her artistic work as a language through which one can speak about intimacy, vulnerability, or the everyday nature of personal stories, which, however, do not stand alone but are determined by socio-political phenomena. In her paintings, she shows how family, romantic, and professional relationships are shaped by traditional gender roles. Her paintings cross the boundaries between the past, the present, and an apocalyptic future, in which the effort for change mixes with disciplined inertia, the tension between power and powerlessness. Her predominantly figurative paintings are connected by the theme of social norms and expectations that we fulfill with our lives. The artist is interested in the depiction of social phenomena, such as uncertainty and fear in a society where many do not have the opportunity to satisfy basic life needs.
Curators: Zuzana Štefková, Lenka Kukurová
This gallery is part of a selection of the 100 most essential galleries in the Czech Republic. More information at: 100galerii.cz
