Cz

Prologue

25.10. – 19.01.25

Prologue

Last Harvest

25.10. – 19.01.25

Curators: Emma Hanzlíková & Anežka Chalupová

Artists: Josef Bolf, Eliška Konečná, Tadeáš Kotrba

There are many reasons to collect contemporary art. It might stem from a purely personal interest in art and the opportunity to live surrounded by it, a desire to enhance social prestige, or an investment intention. Collecting, however, also becomes a lifestyle and passion that comes with its own set of specifics. The private collection of Czech art from the 20th and 21st centuries in Humpolec dates back to the mid-1990s. The collection was initiated by the Rýzner family, founders of the 8smička Art Zone, to which the collection is on a long-term loan. The collection predominantly comprises of painting, sculpture, and works on paper. Contemporary Czech art is a consistent area of focus in the collection. The first (from a series of three autumn exhibitions) presents recent acquisitions of works by three contemporary artists  — Josef Bolf, Tadeáš Kotrba, and Eliška Konečná and explores aspects of art acquisitioning activity. Instead of a comprehensive list of names and a somewhat unsystematic tour of the depository, the audience is invited to experience three situations that no art collector can avoid if they want to stay informed about the art market. These include detective-like investigations in the secondary market, following international fairs, and artists’ studio visits. This Prologue paves the way for the upcoming jubilee exhibition The Factory for Beauty, which will recap thirty years of art collecting and is scheduled to be presented at 8smička in the fall of 2026.