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JIRI ANDERLE 

Jiri Anderle (b. 1936, Czech Republic) graduated from Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. He worked as an assistant lecturer at the Academy of Art and Design in Prague. His work is in numerous private and public collections around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Amarillo Art Museum, USA; National Gallery, Berlin; Modern Art Museum, Brussels; Harvard University Art Museum, Cambridge, USA; Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florence; The Art Institute of Chicago, USA; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; National Gallery, London, Bibliothèque national de France, Paris; Le Centre Pompidou, Paris; National Gallery, Prague; City Gallery Prague; Czech Museum of Fine Art, Prague; National Museum, Stockholm; National Gallery, Washington, D. C.. His work received over 50 awards, including the Medal of Merit the Third Grade in the fields of culture and arts awarded by the President of the Czech Republic (2006), Vladimir Boudnik Award, Prague (2004), Grand Prix, 1st Triennial Europea dell Incisione, Udine, Italy (1991), 1st Prize, 1st Print Biennial, Lublin, Poland (1984), Grand Prix, 5th Painting, Drawing and Print Competition, New Dehli, India (1982), and Grand Prix, 1st International Print Biennial, Liège, Belgium (1969).

Jiri Anderle’s approach to work is that of a humanist. He explores the elementary themes of human existence, through grotesque metamorphosis with human bodies enveloping their suffering souls dwelling within. Anderle is well aware of our temporary placement in the ancient story of humanity. He makes it his mission to remind us through his work that we share the past and therefore we cannot ignore the obligation to face many forms of evil handed down from generation to generation like a poisoned apple.Anderle’s visual language is characteristic for metaphors and technical virtuosity. A simple line, outlining silhouettes of human figures, has the power to animate his images and enliven their dialogues. The soft line, often created by simple technique of drypoint or soft ground, is in sharp contrast with the chiaroscuro rendering of individual elements, faces, hands, legs, masterfully developed by using mezzotint. The juxtaposition of the real and the fantastic, logic and absurd, beauty and hideousness, good and evil creates haunting imagery capable to touch our.In 1980, the American art magazine Art News declared Anderle’s print Cruel Game for a Man the most important print of the 1970s.

Jiri Anderle's artworks in public collections:

Art Institute of Chicago (26 works, including Appassionata, 1976, Cruel Game for a Man, 1975, Comedy No. 5, Comedy No. 7, Three Masks, 1962, or Dialogue with Myself (Relations No.1))

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (3 works: Closed Door - Jiri, 1979; Belle Epoque (Fragment IV), 1980; Soldier, Son and Wife, 1980

Le Centre Pompidou, Paris: Diptyque d'après Pollaïuolo (Partie A et B), 1979

Victoria and Albert Museum, London: Elita - The Emperor and the Crown Prince (from the series Appearances and Reality, 1981

MoMA New York: Open Door - Milada, 1979

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ARTWORKS AVAILABLE AT KADS NEW YORK

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