Cyberlemon

Hynek Martinec connects exceptionally diverse references in his first solo exhibition in Prague since 2018.

Hynek Martinec, in his first solo exhibition in Prague since 2018, connects extraordinarily diverse references and reflects on the current state of human consciousness. The artist has been living in London for over 17 years and in his new works responds to the accelerated and increasingly polarized world, where unexpected and often paradoxical encounters between art, technology, and social changes occur. In a time of societal division, marked by the rise of extremist ideologies and identity politics, when artificial intelligence is beginning to significantly influence the cultural environment, Martinec traces a path from the "cradle of civilization" in the Mediterranean – from the ancient cultures of Greece and the Roman Empire – to the present and poses the question: Where are we now? How did we get here? Hynek Martinec's works are often labeled as hyperrealistic or photorealistic, but they cannot be so easily categorized. His painting technique, while rooted in the realistic tradition, connects imagery from various sources, creating surreal juxtapositions and distorting form and scale. This results in complex compositions that defy simple interpretation. In his new works, he references ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, paintings by Rubens and Titian, and the tradition of Dutch still lifes, as well as Damien Hirst's diamond-studded skull and the Tesla Cybertruck. The motif of the lemon appears in many paintings in the current exhibition. This natural product is so common that it is almost invisible. However, throughout history, the lemon has served to represent various ideas in visual art. Martinec has painted lemons throughout his artistic career, and for him, the lemon represents a motif that raises historical themes, but in the context of current discussions about "culture wars," it is "neutral." Hynek Martinec (born 1980 in Broumov) lives and works in London. He has exhibited extensively in Europe and the USA. In recent years, he has had solo exhibitions at London galleries such as OHSH Projects (2023) and Parafin Gallery (2021, 2017, 2014), at the National Gallery in Prague (2018), at the Dům Gallery in Broumov (2018), at The Factory in London (2016), and at the Václav Špála Gallery in Prague (2015). He has participated in numerous group exhibitions, among the most significant are Taste, Wönzimer Gallery, Los Angeles (2024), Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London (2023), Vanitas, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague (2021), The Will to Power, ASC Gallery, London (2021), Inspiration – Iconic Works, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (2019), and Ateneum, Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki (2020), and Fascination with Reality, Museum of Art Olomouc (2017). The artist's works are represented in both private and public collections, including the National Gallery in Prague and the British Museum in London.