acrylic, canvas, 140 x 190 cm
purchased in 2020 with the financial assistance of the Czech Ministry of Culture
This painting displays typical features of Hudeček’s work. It depicts two women sitting and talking to each other next to a model of the planned extension to Ostrava’s House of Art (known as the “White Shadow”). Their conversation – originally an informed discussion about the architectural design – can mutate into an everyday conversation about life, as often happens at exhibition openings or conferences. As viewers, we are present in a moment of relaxation, as can be seen from the unforced gestures of both women. A major milestone in the history of the gallery (and the city as a whole) is thus suddenly relegated to the status of a somewhat ignored background, as the topic of life itself becomes dominant. Hudeček’s typical de-contextualization of situations, which are removed from a real environment and re-situated in an indeterminate space, lends the painting a more general dimension, enabling it to ask questions about the real nature of life, our preferences, and meanings. In other words, any discussion about a specialist topic, any professional activity, always involves a person interacting with another person.