Podcast: Play in new window
Sculptor and painter Richard Kočí and I have a conversation in his Prague, Czech Republic studio about the Cafe lifestyle, Graphic arts, Promotion, Public relations, Having a community, Fear of rejection, Julian Schnabel, Jeff Koons, and Damien Hirst.
About
I find art closer to the process of searching, independent of artistic trends, but in keeping with the times we live in. It follows that tradition is important to me because I believe that we are starting from something and continuing something.
I like craft, but probably just because I like the physical work. Art should express something of life, but at the same time keep some sort of mystery that makes it incomprehensible. Sometimes I use shapes that are familiar to us from everyday life, but by shifting their identity they are perceived quite differently. This is not so much an analytical process, but rather intuitive, although these two aspects are constantly intertwined.
For ten years I have worked mainly with wood, mainly laminating plywood. It impressed me with its formability and its specific form. Laminating or gluing pieces of plywood next to each other creates a surface drawing that interests me. I was also attracted by the idea of transforming ordinary, almost vulgar material and moving it somewhere else. I am currently working with plastics, polymers and paint. The finish is finished with several layers of colored paint.
I prefer sculptures of larger sizes. I feel like it sets me free. Small statues always seemed to me to be little models, even toys. On a large scale, it is possible to control a kind of point of incompleteness, even if the viewer does not perceive it at first sight. It is necessary not to overheat the statue, not to rework it. The larger format also allows the sculpture to fulfill its mission and fill the space, preferably the public one.
People often ask me what technology I use and they look surprised when I tell them that none. With the exception of the band saw, everything is made using hand tools. I just enjoy the work and I do not disguise that I am happy to see someone again.
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For more information about the host, Matthew Dols
http://www.matthewdols.com
Transcript available: https://wisefoolpod.com/transcript-for-episode-011-sculptor-painter-richard-koci-prague-cz/
