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The morbid theme of Roman Týc’s exhibition at Dvorak Sec Contemporary can be surprising for some visitors; at least this may be their first impression. Roman Týc is not a poser and he does not seek to shock or to expose himself. In his works, Roman Týc addresses topics, which our accelerated consumer and information society is not able to perceive, or which are ignored for the sake of our selfish convenience. With his work, Roman Týc gives us a warning; in an attempt to try to get us back to the essence of things he forces us to think. His work poses questions: Are we indeed free? |
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“According to the artist, the pictures in this exhibition were created from these surplus ashes.”
Roman Týc, Grave Robber, 2011. Ink and human ash on paper/canvas 2 types of work: ink and human ash on paper framed in glass and ink and human ash on canvas. Courtesy of gallery Dvorak Sec Contemporary
Roman Týc: Grave Robber’s Art?
Dvorak Sec Contemporary
The morbid theme of Roman Týc’s exhibition at Dvorak Sec Contemporary can be surprising for some visitors; at least this may be their first impression. Roman Týc is not a poser and he does not seek to shock or to expose himself. In his works, Roman Týc addresses topics, which our accelerated consumer and information society is not able to perceive, or which are ignored for the sake of our selfish convenience. With his work, Roman Týc gives us a warning; in an attempt to try to get us back to the essence of things he forces us to think. His work poses questions: Are we indeed free? Is the road we have chosen the right one? Have we spoilt everything yet? However, the way Roman Týc poses these questions is a tightrope walk. He tests himself and people around him. At the same time, his approach is not “Borat-like” destructive.
After riding a tree trunk on the wild Vltava river, broadcasting a nuclear explosion on the 2nd channel of the Czech Television (ČT 2), disappearing police hats, traffic lights with boys in different positions, publicity stunts and complementing the “We Have Bare Hands” monument on Národní třída; the artist’s new project focuses on the theme of funerals.
Our gallery has decided to offer space to Roman Týc since we are convinced that his “Grave Robber” exhibition poses highly humane questions on the last matters of a person and highlights our strangely biased relationship to death.
Death has been banned from the good society as if we should be ashamed for death, as if it were something inappropriate. With the cult of youth gaining in power, seniority is more and more becoming invisible. We don’t die with our closest ones any longer but rather, in nursing homes (however we may call these facilities) and in hospitals. Naturally, we do not want to see our relatives’ dead. But, is this approach the right one? In many Asian countries the most senior family member is in the centre of the family and banning such family member means total social exclusion…
Let us mention some facts:
– More and more people in the Czech Republic express their wish not to have a funeral.
– An increasing number of people do not want to accept the urn with the ashes of their relative.
– At some cemeteries in Prague up to 40% of people are in default with the payment of fees for their relatives’ grave.
– In the European context, the Czech Republic is a country leading in the percentage of cremations.
– In crematoriums surplus ashes are created, i.e. ashes that do not fit into urns and are often disposed without any piety on waste dumping sites.
According to the artist, the pictures in this exhibition were created from these surplus ashes. Initially, we were concerned with the question of whether it is appropriate to show such a project at Dvorak Sec Contemporary. And at the end of the day we have arrived at the conclusion that it definitely is. Roman Týc has approached death as barely anyone of us has. His project is an honest and aching artistic confession about the time we live in. We firmly trust that Roman Týc’s aim – namely to force us to think of our relationship to seniority and death, to think of something we all are trying to block out – will not become subject of misinterpretations, both by media and lawyers. We are convinced that this is necessary for the living, to live better. After all, the worst thing in life is to be alone in the moment of death.
The pictures on display are not for sale and we have also proposed to Roman Týc to scatter the ashes at a dignified place once the exhibition ends.
Roman Týc has no good news for us. However, we should be grateful for such news, not to reject it. It is not wise to stone artists just because they are bearers of bad news. Roman Týc’s exhibition draws our attention to the unethical and degrading way we treat human remains. Are we going to change? And are we going to change it?
*** This article was published by NY Arts Magazine, 2011. NY Arts Magazine is published by Abraham Lubelski. Sponsored by Broadway Gallery, NYC and World Art Media.
