A milestone called “1968”
The new exhibition at Gallery Vernon presents works by the two artists that have met in 1968 and experienced this encounter as a milestone of their own artistic work. In 1968 Heidi Bayer and Alexandra Dvo?áková met at the course lead by Venetian painter Emilio Vedova who introduced them the world of abstract lines and geometric shapes.
The exhibition is accompanied with original artworks by Emilio Vedova. The aim of the exhibition is to emphasize a special relationship between a teacher and a student, strong and fragile at the same time.
The curator of the exhibition and the director of Gallery Vernon Monika Burian Jourdan says: „We have been preparing and talking about this exhibition for a long time. Alexandra Dvo?áková was my first art teacher. Although I was only a little child then, being her student was the first impulse why I entered the marvelous world of art.”
Emilio Vedova (1919 – 2006) was an Italian abstract painter, considered one of the most important to emerge from his country’s artistic scene. Vedova played a key role in the post-war Italian art movement, which was opening up and contributing to the European avant-garde. During his life he carried out intense teaching activities in various American universities followed by the Sommerakademie in Salzburg and the Academy of Venice.
Heidi Bayer-Wech and Alexandra Dvo?áková met at the International Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Salzburg in July 1968, where they participated on the course under the leadership of the Venetian artist Emilio Vedova. Together they experienced a unique creative atmosphere, learnt about new techniques and materials and explored new connections and relationships in the world of lines, shapes and colors. Emilio Vedova affected both for the rest of their lives.
Heidi Bayer-Wech initially taught at various schools in Munich, but eventually she decided to devote herself entirely to her own artwork. She remembers Vedova as a person of high importance in her life: „His words encouraged and empowered me and still do until today. A considerable exchange of letters, many personal comments written into catalogues and on posters I guard like a treasure. I have visited many of his numerous exhibitions and time and again I enjoy remembering him and his intense and lively lessons.”
For Alexandra Dvo?áková the visit of the course in 1968 meant not only lifelong experience for her own artistic work, but it was also a turning point of her life as such. She attended the course at the very moment when Czechoslovakia got occupied by the Russian troops on August 21st 1968. She encountered a difficult decision whether to stay abroad or return. The decision was made and after almost a year she returned to Czechoslovakia and devoted following 40 years to a similar role as her teacher Vedova – she became a teacher at an art school.
The two friends remained in correspondent contact and they met again in 1988 to attend another Emilio Vedova’s course and experience once more the unique atmosphere of the course of Emilio Vedova together. Alexandra Dvo?áková traveled with the foreign exchange promise, that was not easy to obtain because of the regime in Czechoslovakia at that time.
The exhibition creates an exceptional encounter for all involved to meet again by means that are the most unitive and typical for their relationships – through art.
The project is supported by Fondazione Vedova in Venezia with its director Fabrizio Gazzarri, who sent special thanks to both artists and Gallery Vernon for kind spreading the name of Emilio Vedova and is work outside Italy. The Italian Cultural Institute in Prague headed by Giovanni Sciola also joined with its patronage.
The opening takes place on Wednesday October 8th 2014 at 6 pm at Gallery Vernon, Janákovo nábeží 21, Prague 5 with the presence of both artists.
Comunicato Stampa