esk

vizuln poezie. Teoretick texty

[Czech Visual Poetry. Theoretical Texts]
Ed. Eva Krtk
308 pages.
ISBN 978-80-7294-736-2
Publisher: Host Brno
2013
http://www.nakladatelstvi.hostbrno.cz/cs/nakladatelstvi/literarni-veda-a-historie/ostatni/item-843

Abstract
Looking back at Czech art and literature of the 1960s, it would be difficult to overlook the fact that much of
cultural life during this time was involved in the quest for new forms of artistic expression. Close
cooperation between artists and writers allowed for the development of experimental artwork which
created room for specifically theoretical considerations on the essence and meaning of each work of art.
The goal of this publication is to re-evaluate the theoretical preconditions and positions of Czech visual
poetry, and by doing so to develop our understanding of textual heritage in Czech visual art of the second
half of the 20th century. A critical commentary aims to facilitate access to the subject by illustrating the
context of contemporary theory and concurrent debate (concurrent means that it was happening at the
same time). Furthermore, the publication offers access to fundamental texts, essays, and discussion
materials from the little known field, which is hardly present in public consciousness despite the
importance of the 1960s for Czech cultural history. Among the authors, whose texts have so far been
published only in journals and catalogues of limited accessibility, if at all, are the indispensable Ji Kol,
Bohumila Grgerov and Josef Hiral, Ladislav Novk, Ji Valoch, Ji Padrta, and Vladimr Burda, as well as
Vclav Havel and Ivan M. Jirous.
The specific and historical phenomenon of visual poetry surpassed the conventional limits by way of
interaction between artistic creative activities and literature. This selection of texts and essays is enriched
by forgotten documents of a contemporary discussion on this concept which was extremely lively at the
time. Besides these, the collection also includes examples of renowned texts from literary studies. In this
way, this publication aims to critically examine and revise many aspects of the concept of visual poetry and
its significance in Czech cultural history. In the international context, Czech visual poetry finds itself
interrelated with the phenomena of concrete visual and phonetic poetry, and also conceptual poetry, all of
which deal with themes such as methodology, typology, and analysis in different ways, and thereby
express the fascination that experimental art held at the time.
This book was compiled in 2006 at the Research Centre of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (VVP AVU
avu.cz/vvp). At the same time, a new section dealing specifically with textual reflection of modern and
contemporary Czech art was added to the archive of the centre.
The project was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Academy of Fine Arts in
Prague.