Empty spaces and vertical lines

At Tuesday’s talk at the Skautsky institute, right next to the astronomical clock in the old town square there was a silvery haired gentleman in the audience. We were giving a talk at a TRSY Land Art Festival event, but as ever we were on the lookout for models. There was a nod from Karoline, and it was decided: We had to ask if the mystery gentleman had some free time before the weekend.

Our new friend turned out to be a sculptor, academic and a lecturer at The Department of Landscape Architecture at The Czech University of Life Sciences. Aleš Hnízdi lives in Měchenice, 40 minutes down the Vltava river, just south of Prague. His daughter Sára joined us in the sculpture garden and translated as Aleš spoke about his life and work. The whole afternoon was soothingly calm and the two weary travellers took comfort in the shade of his beautiful vine covered house. His seven chickens run riot in the backround as we chitchatted about life and enjoyed the homemade cake, before heading up to the mountains for a vertical shoot.

© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Originally from Liberec, Aleš moved to prague when he was 18. He never doubted his career choice since turning 15. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
We listened enviously about his canoeing trips up and down the river and his plans for his next big solo show in three years. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Sara, Aleš’ daughter was our expert translator and translated the philosophical pondering with poise. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
We are big fans of his Vertical Lines and ‘Aspects of energy and the cyclical interweaving of consciousness’. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Our kind of a spread. These are fossils Aleš found in his neighbourhood. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
The artist in his studio. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
He suggested a small mountaintop of Moraine as the shoot location and as we clambered up, all eyes were peeled for fossils. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Vertical lines in the making. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Aleš is interested in the concept of emptiness and more fascinated with the human energy than the figure. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Working position 2769. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
This is Aleš rock that he often returns to for quietude. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
He grows the bamboo for these brushes himself. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
And makes these paintings, two of which will come home with us. Thank you very much! © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen

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