Adriena Šimotová, The Joy of Life. Paintings and Prints 1963-1970

The work of Adriena Šimotová (1926–2014) is rightly considered a significant contribution to Czech modern art. As a respected artist, she has been featured in numerous major group and solo exhibitions. This time, we would like to highlight her early work, spanning roughly from 1963 through the turn of the next decade. At that time, Šimotová was rapidly refining her artistic vision and discovering distinctive creative principles that would remain a constant presence in her work. These included, above all, the courage not to succumb to the dictates of prevailing opinion, a sense of energy, a rejection of stereotypes, and the exploration of themes of intimacy and physicality. She was experiencing a happy period at the time—both in her personal life and in the vibrant cultural environment that provided her with inspiring stimuli. As she later remarked: “…we all thought we still had tomorrow ahead of us.” For this reason, we deliberately conclude this selection of works with the year 1970, when she exhibited a collection of paintings from the previous two years to great acclaim at the Špála Gallery in Prague. Her work invites careful observation. That is precisely why we interpret it differently than has been customary thus far, and by drawing on ew, previously overlooked yet important contexts, we expand our understanding of her work.