milan dobeš

born 1929, Přerov, The Czech Republic

16. 09. - 05. 11. 2021

Milan Dobeš is one of the leading personalities of the Czechoslovak Art scene, endowed with indisputable talent to interpret light, movement and sound in the visual plane.

The beginning of his work is connected with records of the urban landscape, especially with topics from the streets and markets of old-fashioned Bratislava, motifs of the Mediterranean ports and the seascape of Côte d’Azur.

Artist´s choice to use ink drawing and the style of impressionist painting with quantity of small strokes on the canvas, was the most suitable way to record the composition and the mood of the scene quickly. The light stream plays an important role, providing the painting with unique atmosphere and enveloping the landscape into a blue haze.

Light has become an important topic for further research. Author´s decision to work with artificial resins, from which stained glass windows were created, caused the interaction with a penetrating Sunrays through coloured and geometrized motifs. In 1961, Milan Dobeš wrote his first manifesto “About Light and Movement”. At the same time, he worked on abstract black-and-white structural paintings, op art paintings and collages.

Milan Dobeš was searching for a possibility to dynamize the light beam. He projected the light rays onto mirror surfaces of his reliefs. Light foci due to the reflection in convex and concave lenses had the opportunity to change shape, position and intensity and accompany the passing visitor. Objects and reliefs gained theirs specific, strongly minimized and industrialized visualization. Some of them moved rhythmically and projected light reflections into the surrounding space.

In 1971, Milan Dobeš went on a concert tour with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra around the United States. During the performance, he sensitively connected sound, light, and movement on the stage; it was the birth of a multidisciplinary show. In 1988, Milan Dobeš wrote the second artistic manifesto called “The Dynamic Constructivism”.

Movement has become a central theme in many series of graphic works and collages. In addition to them, he realized monumental sculptural objects for public space and smaller interior sculptures. The works of Milan Dobeš are represented in many public and private institutions and collections. Some examples of the most important exhibition projects: Documenta 4, 1972, Kassel, Germany, Constructive Tendenzen, 1968, Nürnberg, Germany, Bienal de Sao Paulo, 1969, Brazil, Ars, 69, 1969, Helsinki, Finland, Expo, 1970, Osaka, Japan, Expo 1992, Seville, Spain…

The exhibition in Závodný Gallery is organized in honor of the life anniversary of Hans-Peter Riese, German journalist, art historian and critic, who is connected with Milan Dobeš by professional interest and their long-term personal friendship.

The exhibition at the Závodný Gallery presents also current, newly done artpieces by Milan Dobeš, which were not presented to the public yet.