“Îcon priznts ɖ most comprihnsv YC xbišn t dêt bî Pavel Bšler. Born in Prāg in 1952 n bêst in ɖs cuntri sns ɖ 1980z, Bšler z rnând az an influenšl tīčr n figr in ɖ inṭnašnl ātsìn.

Bšler’z xbišn at Îcon involvz a wîd renj v mīdia, includñ txt, fând objcts, obṣlīt tecnoljiz n aproprietd dijitl mtirı̣l, caṛctristcli cmbînñ fiḷsoficl sceptisizm wɖ a smāt sens v hymr ɖt drwz atnšn t ɖ funḍmntli strenj nêčr v evrde lîf.

Vizitrz xpirı̣ns a ny wrc bî Bšler imījtli on arîvl at Îcon, Insd Wot (2010), cmprîzñ a txt xtract fṛm Samyl Becit’s Wot, (1953) set in ɖ stîl v a bcpêj n aplîd t ɖ fruntdorz. Ɖ trnzišn fṛm insîd t âtsîd, n vîsvrsa, z md ʈru a veil v txt, sūṗimpozd on ẇt z vizbl bynd. Bšler’z intvnšn on ɖ dorz z telñ, az ɖe r ɖ mīnz bî ẇč vizitrz muv btwn ɖ public relm n dedicetd ātspês, rezñ išuz v axes t āt, its rôl in ssayti n a tendnsi t xclusivti in âr ātwrldz.

Ɖ ppečl âtsîdr stêṭs pṛjctd ontu ɖ mn pṛtagnist in Ɖ Casl (2005), a ci wrc in ɖs xbišn, coṛspondz t an añzayti ɖt z ofn injendrd bî culčṛl instityšnz. Involvñ a lj insṭlešn v lâdspīcrz bêst on a 1920z dzîn bî Māconi, ɖ wrc pṛclemz a qtešn fṛm Cafca’z Ɖ Casl: Y r nt fṛm ɖ Casl, y r nt fṛm ɖ vilij, y r’nt enʈñ. Or rɖr, unfwtyṇtli, y r smʈñ, a strenjr, a man hu z’nt wntd n z in evrbdi’z we …

Brwdcast ʈru ɖ antīc sândsistm, ɖ wrdz rcwl strītproṗganda anânsmnts az ɖe insist ɖt intgrešn z impsbl, ɖt ɖ strenjr wl olwz rmen on ɖ âtsîd. On ɖ uɖr hand, Flî (2009), involvz an iluminetd fîrxit sîn n ɖ sând v a flî buzñ insd. Ɖr z no yrnñ fr admitns, bt rɖr ɖs z an iṇsnt crīčr despṛtli trayñ t gt ât.

Îcon’z xbišn olso fīčrz a nmbr v fând objcts n sml sculpčrz sč az Il Castello (2007), cnsistñ v tu fând penslz, n Cánn (2014), md fṛm a biłdbwl n pôstcād. Most v ɖz r fwtyiṭs combinešnz, brwt tgɖr t criet ṣmantc šwt srcits, rzultñ in vižl punz ɖt r funi, sutl n sbvrsv. Similrli ɖ ātist’s fasinešn wɖ wrdple z md mr xplisit in hiz on-gwñ siriz Onist Wrc (2011–), ynīc letrpres prints md fṛm old-fašnd printñblocs. Qtešnz fṛm Cāl Māx t Edgr Aḷn Po, fṛm Bānit Nymn t Jôzf Csūt, r swsz v inspirešn, az wel az côinsidnsz fând wɖn n btwn alfbets n nymericl sistmz. Ɖz letrpres wrcs constityt a bcend v an xtrōdnri srve, a cnd v vrayti ɖt cnvez rer ātistc injňuwti.

Ɖ xbišn z acumṗnid bî a publicešn, includñ txts bî Ostrı̣n filoṣfr Robert Faler n Joṇʈn Wotcinz, Îcon Drctr. In adišn Pavel Bšler hz md a ny limitd idišn, tîtld Onist Wrc (Sîḷns) (2015); avelbl xclusvli at Îcon, it z a letrpres wrc on Āčz 88 pêpr, 34 × 50 sm, idišn v 26, prîst £720.

Ɖs xbišn z ṣpwtd bî Ɖ Henri Mur Fândešn.”

Fly (2009). Found security sign, audio. Courtesy the artist.

Report on Damage, 2011 4 posters, digital print on paper. Courtesy the artist

The Castle. Installation view from Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, 2006. Courtesy the artist

Il Castello, 2007. Found pencils. Courtesy the artist.

Honest Work (Red), 2012. Letterpress on Arches 88 paper. Courtesy the artist.

Honest Work (White), 2012. Letterpress on Arches 88 paper. Courtesy the artist.

GAḶRI WEBSAIT

Continue reading PAVEL BÜCHLER: (HONEST) WORK │ Ikon Gallery, Birmingham → 12 July 2015 →