The works of Tereza Holá can unsettle and disrupt the visual framework, the range of themes, and the context in which we normally operate. In her work, she is not afraid to defy expectations and delves into the depths of her own inner self as well as into profound themes of the collective unconscious and the darker aspects of society. She often does so in connection with environmental themes and within the context of social conscience. Her artistic approach draws in part from the past. We find echoes of this in her choice of materials—such as leather, hay, wood, reeds, and straw—which are unusual for today’s times. Nevertheless, the resulting expression is entirely contemporary and relevant. It is as if, in some respects, she were returning to a primordial foundation, to a shared heritage from which she draws inspiration for her timeless vision.

Tereza Holá first began using straw to treat the surfaces of her reliefs and objects after she found a refuge in her new studio in Haná. As a land art artist, she finds inspiration and draws from the place where she happens to be. She has an extraordinary sensitivity to the experiences of her surroundings, absorbs their influences, and strongly perceives the genius loci. She is able to speak the language of the “locals,” even as she works with an existential conception of humanity, human intimacy, and one’s place in the world.

Her works sometimes speak with a peculiar, decadent poetics that is neither immediately accessible nor easily grasped. Through their power, they manage to get under your skin and evoke a strong, elusive experience. They delve deep, to the roots, and with crystal-clear sincerity touch upon the very essence of things. This gives rise to mesmerizing forms that are alluring, somehow familiar, and yet fresh to the eye.

Thematically, Tereza Holá draws from her own profound inner experiences, life experiences, and the collective unconscious that society represses and pushes aside. At times, she confronts us with an uncomfortable reality unfolding somewhere beneath the surface of everyday events. The creative process itself continues to resonate within the artist even years later; she returns to certain themes, and their meaning is gradually revealed to her. Her works in the realm of land art and site-specific art are often breathtaking. They are characterized by absolutely precise technical mastery and a timeless quality that lends these objects an almost otherworldly appearance and a monumental impact.

At the exhibition Galerie Pekelné sáně, we encounter the theme of the body as a fertile field—a theme that is deeply feminine, yet at the same time universal. The exchange of one’s own strength, capacity, and physical form for the sake of the future—for the harvest of future generations—is a timeless theme. The delicate and exceptionally labor-intensive straw surface highlights the relief structure, which, as a result, appears definitive and gains an air of exclusivity. The golden straw surface reveals wealth and immeasurable potential. The cascading strands of straw evoke cornucopias, sun-drenched fields brimming with fertility. At the same time, it offers a perspective in which the body is perceived as soil—fertile, yet also wounded, wrinkled, and plowed by deep furrows. In her works, we encounter a tangle of bodies in a firm embrace of intertwined body parts that touch us on an existential level. They capture great energy, a fierce struggle, and an indomitable desire to live.