Jan Karpíšek

Jan Karpíšek.

Jan Karpíšek (born 1981, in Jihlava) is a Czech contemporary painter, curator, and performer, recognized for his unique collaboration with bees in his artistic work. He studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Brno University of Technology under the guidance of Professor Martin Mainer (1999–2005). Subsequently, he spent half a year in the Performance Studio led by Professor Tomáš Ruller.

Karpíšek's artwork explores themes such as the passage of time, the erotic, and spirituality. A significant portion of his work reflects his meditation practice, capturing the interplay of the body and soul. His paintings lack a singular stylistic approach, ranging from naive and grotesque expressions to gestural abstraction. Additionally, his interests extend to action painting, the use of natural pigments, and conceptual performance art. His bachelor and master’s theses centered on the theme of time, for which he received the Dean's Prize in 2003. Some of his large-scale works are reminiscent of Gerhard Richter and Barnett Newman.

In 2004, Karpíšek won second place in the Artkontakt student competition. That same year, his piece "Mars" was acquired by the National Gallery in Prague and exhibited during the IBCA 2005 in Prague. In 2009, he contributed to Václav Cílek’s book Orfeus: The Book of Underground Rivers.

In 2015, Karpíšek was named a finalist in the Dave Bown Projects competition.

In addition to his artistic pursuits, Karpíšek practices Zazen meditation.

He is also an active beekeeper and permaculture gardener and is the father of three sons.

Selected solo exhibitions

• "Cultivate-Self", Opobchod Store, Jemnice, 18 February–17 May 2024
• "World according to Plan", (with Jonáš Karel Karpíšek), Umakart Gallery, Brno, 6 September–2 October 2022
• "Beehive in Ji-Hlava", Nonstrop Gallery, Jihlava, 3 August–31 October 2022
• "History Lesson", Labyrinth School, Brno, 1 September–21 November 2021
• "Spring of Collections", Josef Jambor Gallery, Tišnov, 8 August–27 September 2020
• "Paintings by Bees", Alternativa, Vysočina County Gallery, Jihlava, 13 September–14 October 2018
• "Paintings by Bees", Diera do sveta, Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia, 21 July–31 August 2018
• "Art with Bees", Deptford Cinema, London, 16–31 March 2017
• "Layer of Illusion", Gallery U kolen / Tři ocásci, Brno, 10 October–11 November 2016
• "Commemoration Celebration for Extinct Plants", (with Ondřej Maleček), Na shledanou Gallery, Malšice Cemetery, Volyně, 27 August 2016–1 September 2017
• "Landscape is Divine", Evangelical House of Prayer, Brno Židenice, 11 June–11 July 2016
• "Reality is a Miracle" (Project VyTer, with Ondrej Horak, curator Dominika Halvova), Gallery Off/Format, Brno, 11–17 March 2015
• "Mortgage on a Coat", Gallery Dole, Antiquarian Bookshop Fiducia, Ostrava, 27 January–7 March 2014
• "Following Mind and Time", Gallery Artkontakt, Brno, 2005
• "The Passing of the Time" (Performance), Festival New Media, Cheb, 2003

External links

• Video from the exhibition in OGV Jihlava
• Interview in Aesthetica Magazine
• Karpíšek's homepage