Milan Kuzica: „12“ - Sculptural and Graphic Arts Installation

Date: 12.08.-29.08.2019

A sculptural and graphic arts installation of Milan Kuzica will be launched at the Hall C Gallery on 12 August. The theme of the “12“ installation is a symbolic expression of the close links between the Jewish and Christian cultures. According to the Old Testament, the Jewish patriarch Jacob (Israel) divided the country among his twelve sons, who are deemed the forebears of the twelve tribes of the Israeli nation. Legend has it that, on his death bed, Jacob blessed each one of his sons, identified symbolisms in the form of a jewel, an icon, and a flag color, and foreshadow the character and fate of each of the tribes. Their number refers to the direct link to the New Testament, as Jesus Christ appointed twelve apostles to spread the gospel. This is the reason why the apostolic college is referred to as the founder of the new Israel. The number twelve has many meanings in scientific disciplines such as mathematics, astronomy, physics, and chemistry, or anatomy. It is of essential importance in all cultures, religions, and sacred cults. Although the installation primarily points out the mutual overlaps between the Jewish and Christian communities, it will surely not avoid other semantic associations.

The sculptural installation consists of twelve undefined sculptures. For the most part, their form is admitted in a natural, seemingly unhewn, raw material form. Different cross-sections of the objects reveal each of the objects‘ inner (soul) - they act as adapted, smoothed out, colored surfaces, whose contour lines partially concretize the individual body shapes. They associate the harrowing history of the Israeli nation and of early Christianity. The color contrasts enhance the confrontation of natural and synthetic materials. The nature of the installation changes by the mutual interaction between the objects and the lighting conditions. The interaction of colors and shapes takes place on a surface evoking a checker-board field. The variability of the individual sculptures in communication with observers influences not only the visual effect of the whole but also the interpretation of the plot. It applies chess game principles to social relationships. The exhibition includes a selection of twelve prints from the cycles titled “Gates” and “Roads”. These abstract experimental graphics arts pieces are an expression of not only the artist's sense of color vision, but also enhance the theme of the exhibition by referring to the roads and gates of Jerusalem.

Milan Kuzica (born on 12 November 1962 in Martin, Slovak Republic) lives and works in Prague, Czech Republic), sculptor, painter, graphic artist and designer, graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Department of Design and Sculpture) in Bratislava as well as Pedagogy at Comenius University in Bratislava. In addition, he studied privately under the sculptor Jozef Kostka. He taught at TAFE University in Perth and at the design department of Claremont High School in Perth, Australia. Whilst in Perth, Milan also completed a one-year sculpture internship at the Greg James Sculptor Studio. He participated in two international symposia in the Rocky Mountains. He received an honorable mention from the American magazine NeoPopRealism for his work titled “Apple - Ordinary Seed“. His abstract sculpture “Green Life” was exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney and Perth, one of the world's most prestigious sculpture exhibitions, where it won the Andrea Stretton Memorial Award. Kuzic's work is exhibited in private collections in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, as well as abroad, including Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, USA or South Africa.

Open till 29 August 2019

Curator: Bronislava Kuzica Rokytová