Exhibition of modern art: František Kupka
Visit the exhibition of modern art at National Gallery: the worldwide known Czech artist František Kupka. Have you ever wondered if the artists who paint abstract art can actually paint realistically? At the exhibition of the Kupka´s work you get the answer. You are nicely walked through the exhibition chronologically, you can perfectly see the transition from realist to abstract art during the 60 years of the artist´s life.
Paintings by František Kupka, exhibition Prague 2018
František Kupka was born in 1871 in Opočno in North East of Czechia and died in 1957 near Paris in Puteaux where he spent most of his adult life. In late 1890s Kupka moves to art academy to Paris from Vienna and earns money by drawing caricatures for magazine covers. You can see some at the exhibition, the topics are just like from today – greed, money, exploitation.
The first exhibited picture surprises you by its realism. You expect to see the fugue, the bright colors, the famous works (that comes later) but Kupka had not find his style over the years. This painting Bookworm is as you were there in the spring garden with the people. The light falling through the leaves is unbelievable. It is a great painting by a man who can paint beautifully.
Walking around you see the transition of Kupka´s style corresponding with art development, namely fauvism, with usage of bright and unusual colors where they should not be (for ex. skin tones). The turn from realist to abstract art comes around 1905 and you really see the development of Kupka´s style. The very known painting, Amorpha: The fugue in two colors (1912), has its inspiration in a red and blue ball of his stepdaughter. You see the painting of the girl holding the ball and later the famous Amorpha – two paintings, one object as inspiration, two totally different interpretations.
Amorpha: the most famous painting by František Kupka
František Kupka is an artist whose art has been auctioned for the highest price of Czech art worldwide. In 2016 Kupka´s painting was sold for over 2,29 million euro in Stockholm and now you can see the most expensive Kupka´s painting sold in Prague (Counterpoints) exhibited here. It is a rather smaller painting and not the most known one among the general public.
This comprehensive exhibition shows you all famous Kupka´s works together at one place in time sequence. There are short explanations what Kupka did in the specific time period, what influenced him, what was going on in his private life so you can see the transformation into art. Admire the great paintings with geometrical patters and perfectly chosen colors.
This exhibition of one of the founders of abstract modern art František Kupka takes place in Vajdštejn riding school at metro Malostranská. The last open day is January 20 2019, then the exhibition is moved to Helsinki. You see pieces which are owned by different galleries in Vienna, New York, Paris, Prague.
Find the details of the exhibition here.
My new favorite painting by František Kupka
Exhibition of František Kupka, Prague 2018
Sources:
https://www.ngprague.cz/exposition-detail/frantisek-kupka-1871-1957/
http://www.artplus.cz/cs/aukcni-zpravodajstvi/1/top-10-kupka
https://kultura.zpravy.idnes.cz/aukce-vytvarneho-umeni-kokoschka-kupka-sima-rekord-drazba-obraz-p8q-/vytvarne-umeni.aspx?c=A161125_124655_vytvarne-umeni_jan