This artistic collective of four graphic artists (B. Bakule Malá, E. Vápenková, J. Hanuš, and P. Kollár) has been collaborating for nearly three years. They are united by a deep fascination with the landscape and a focused perception of space—a space that transcends us, yet within which we still seek a fixed point. Each artist perceives the center differently through their own visual language—and it is precisely through the dialogue of these distinct styles and perspectives that they collectively seek its essence in this exhibition. The Center is neither a compromise nor an average; it is the place of greatest intensity. The exhibition goes beyond the traditional format of a group print show; some works extend from the surface into space, prints serve as the basis for objects, some works are large-scale, while others are entirely minimalist, like intimate visual diary entries. The installation as a whole explores both the physical and spiritual dimensions of the center.

In late fall 2023, four printmakers founded the printmaking group Pres Nostres. The group consists of Bronislava Bakule Malá, Eva Vápenková, Jiří Hanuš, and Peter Kollár—artists of the same generation who devote their creative talent, time, and effort primarily to free graphic art. Their creative intentions and artistic expressions converge in a specific kind of personal introspection and an introverted, even documentary-like observation of the real world. They patiently engage in the process of printmaking, whether using linocut, mezzotint, intaglio, drypoint, or structural printing.

A prominent activity of the group has become the journey through the countryside Kraj po okraj. These are not merely walks or plein air painting in the traditional sense; rather, they involve a deliberate immersion in a specific place, where movement, observation, and conversation bring new layers of perception and unexpected inspiration for their work. For each journey, the group invites guests from various fields—biologists, philosophers, anthropologists, and architects—who reveal the landscape from unexpected angles. The result is not just a series of sketches, but a shared experience of the place, which later finds its way into each participant’s work in their own unique way. This open community gathering in the landscape is part of the Open EDO network. 

https://presnostres.art/putovani/

Bronislava Bakule Malá (*1979) is an artist who focuses primarily on graphic art and sculpture. She works mainly with the linocut technique. She explores her surroundings—things that do not impose themselves but simply exist. In some of her graphic works, we find a certain poetic playfulness; in others, the imprint of focused observation of the meaning and order of the living world. She shares with the other members of the group a desire to explore her own, sometimes even introverted, themes through printmaking. Her works are unique in that they can be viewed as visual diaries of simple everyday life; in some instances, they embody the principle of illustration.

https://presnostres.art/zivotopis-bronislava/

Eva Vápenková (*1979) After studying art history and restoration, she turned to freehand graphic art. She is also active as an educator. Her artworks and visual diary entries draw on an intense experience of the real landscape and memory, transforming into a universal dimension of the relationship to place. She connects with the other members of the group in their shared effort to reflect on timeless issues—that is, on what lies beyond the visible, what can only be glimpsed fleetingly. Likewise, a certain subtlety and delicate tone in her works is what connects her to the others. However, what sets her apart within the group is that she narrates the world through artistic shorthand.

https://presnostres.art/zivotopis-eva/

Jiří Hanuš (*1981) is an educator and visual artist who focuses on printmaking, painting, and illustration. He chose printmaking for its clarity and purity, leaning toward the “velvety” technique of mezzotint. Through his prints, he depicts deserted areas of the industrial landscape or views of desolate natural spaces. He captures a fantastical state of life-non-life; with concentrated imagination, we can sense the presence of unspoken beings. In his artistic expression, he is connected to the other members of the group by the intention to capture calm concentration and the surrounding silence. In addition, his legible prints depicting the hidden poetics of architecture hold a special place within the group.

https://presnostres.art/zivotopis-jiri/

Peter Kollár (*1977) is a graphic artist and photographer. His linocuts are framed sections of existing places, interiors, or figures. Through his prints, he brings real places—which he has visited many times—back into the real world. In quiet contemplation, we observe in his prints the presence of introspective moments of human figures, which form a symbiotic whole with the environment in which they are found. He shares with other members of the group a tendency to work in cycles, delving deeper into and building upon previously explored themes. His creative distinctiveness lies in stepping beyond the two-dimensional plane to create three-dimensional objects based on graphic imagery.

https://presnostres.art/zivotopis-peter/

Hana Zrno Vondrů (*1988) is the group’s curator; her work also extends to production and PR. She has been professionally active in museums and galleries for more than ten years. She was delighted to become the curator of the graphic arts group, as she is interested in “living” artistic creation. 

https://presnostres.art/zivotopis-hana/