Jiří Kolář (24 September 1914,
Protivín
Protivín () is a town in Písek District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,800 inhabitants.
Administrative division
Protivín consists of nine municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): ...
– 11 August 2002,
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
) was a
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
poet, writer, painter and translator. His work included both literary and visual art.
Life
Kolář was born in Protivín on September 29, 1914, in a working-class environment. His father was a baker and his mother a seamstress, and he himself trained early in life as a cabinet maker (which cost him a finger). He later changed trades several times, working as a construction worker, security guard, and bartender, among other jobs. In 1943 he became a full-time writer while living and working in
Kladno
Kladno (; ) is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 70,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the region and has a rich industrial history.
Administrative division
Kladno consists of six municipal parts ...
. He moved to the capital Prague in 1945 to work as an editor of the publishing house Družstvo Dílo. Kolář joined the
Communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
Party in 1945 but left the Party the same year. Because of his critical stance towards the regime he was not allowed to publish after communists took control in
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
in 1948. He married
Běla Helclová in 1949. When in 1952 police found his manuscript, ''Prométheova játra'', in the property of
Václav Černý he was arrested and spent several months in prison.
Kolář was one of a group of several artists, among whom
Václav Havel
Václav Havel (; 5 October 193618 December 2011) was a Czech statesman, author, poet, playwright, and dissident. Havel served as the last List of presidents of Czechoslovakia, president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 until 1992, prior to the dissol ...
,
Václav Černý,
Jan Vladislav and
Josef Hiršal, who met and discussed in
Café Slavia, both during the period leading up to the Prague Spring when the communist regime grew more permissive, and in the period of normalization after the
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring (; ) was a period of liberalization, political liberalization and mass protest in
the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. It began on 5 January 1968, when reformist Alexander Dubček was elected Secretary (title), First Secre ...
. Kolář's wild behavior lost him former friends (e.g. he threw coffee on Josef Hiršal's shirt and had his
soda water
Carbonated water is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, either artificially injected under pressure, or occurring due to natural geological processes. Carbonation causes small bubbles to form, giving the water an effervescent quali ...
poured on him in return). The failure of the Prague Spring in 1968 brought Kolář and his work into disrepute again. In 1970 cerebral
apoplexy
Apoplexy () refers to the rupture of an internal organ and the associated symptoms. Informally or metaphorically, the term ''apoplexy'' is associated with being furious, especially as "apoplectic". Historically, it described what is now known as a ...
stiffened his right arm. Kolář signed
Charta 77 and while on a scholarship to
West Berlin
West Berlin ( or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin from 1948 until 1990, during the Cold War. Although West Berlin lacked any sovereignty and was under military occupation until German reunification in 1 ...
, the government decided to force him to emigrate; he was therefore not allowed to return home. From 1980 on he lived in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. After 1989 he visited his homeland more and more often. In 1999 Kolář injured his spine and he spent his last years in a Prague hospital.
Literary work
Kolář's poetry was first published in 1938 in a private edition; these early poems are not included in his complete work, probably because they are openly erotic, describing oral sex (''Ústnice''), sex positions (''Svícen a trakař'') and sex with a prostitute (''Růže Večernice''). Thus ''Křestný list'' (Baptism Certificate, 1941) is considered his debut. ''Křestný list'' and Kolář's three other collections of poems from the 1940s (''Sedm kantát'', ''Limb a jiné básně'', ''Ódy a variace'') belong stylistically to the
existentialist
Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and value ...
artistic movement of
Skupina 42 of which Kolář was a member; other members included
Jindřich Chalupecký,
Ivan Blatný
Ivan Blatný (; 21 December 1919 in Brno, Czechoslovakia – 5 August 1990 in Colchester, United Kingdom) was a Czech poet and a member of '' Skupina 42 (Group 42).
Life
Blatný, the son of the writer Lev Blatný, was a member of the '' Skupina ...
,
Josef Kainar,
Jiřina Hauková Jiřina Hauková (January 27, 1919, Přerov – December 15, 2005) was a Czech Republic, Czech poet and translator. She was a member of the Group 42 (Skupina 42), together with her husband Jindřich Chalupecký.
Biography
Having graduated from ...
and
Kamil Lhoták
Kamil Lhoták (25 July 1912 Prague – 22 October 1990, Prague) was a Czechs, Czech painter, graphic artist, and illustrator. He was one of the members of Group 42.
Biography
Kamil Lhoták was born on 25 July 1912 in Holešovice, Prague-Hole� ...
.
During the years of
Stalinism
Stalinism (, ) is the Totalitarianism, totalitarian means of governing and Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist policies implemented in the Soviet Union (USSR) from History of the Soviet Union (1927–1953), 1927 to 1953 by dictator Jose ...
in Czechoslovakia (1948–1953) Kolář wrote poetic diaries – ''Očitý svědek'' (Eyewitness, 1949), ''Prométheova játra'' (
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
' Liver, 1950). In 1957 he wrote a creative re-interpretation of
Sun Zi's
The Art of War
''The Art of War'' is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the late Spring and Autumn period (roughly 5th century BC). The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu ("Master Sun"), is compos ...
, an ancient Chinese classic on the art of warfare, under the name ''Mistr Sun o básnickém umění'' (Master Sun on the Poetic Arts). In 1964 ''Náhodný svědek'' (Accidental Witness), a selection of his work from the 1940s was published, and in 1966 a censored selection from his 1950s work came out under the name ''Vršovický Ezop'' (
Aesop
Aesop ( ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE; formerly rendered as Æsop) was a Greeks, Greek wikt:fabulist, fabulist and Oral storytelling, storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as ''Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence re ...
from
Vršovice
Vršovice is a cadastral district of Prague. All of Vršovice lies within the Prague 10 administrative district. Vršovice is located south-east of the city centre. It borders Vinohrady to the north, Nusle to the south-west, Michle to the south and ...
). In the 1960s he started writing experimental poetry, creating new forms of poetry which he gave names such as analfabetogram and cvokogram. In these new forms of poetry the line between the literary and the visual increasingly started to blur, which ultimately led to his experiments in visual art.
Poetry
* ''Křestný list'' (1941)
* ''Sedm kantát'' (1945)
* ''Limb a jiné básně'' (1945)
* ''Ódy a variace'' (1946)
* ''Dny v roce'' (1948)
* ''Mistr Sun o básnickém umění'' (1957)
* ''Básně ticha'' (1965)
* ''Evidentní poezie'' (1965)
* ''L'enseigne de Gersaint'' (1965, also in English and German, title taken from
Watteau's painting)
* ''Vršovický Ezop'' (1966)
* ''Nový Epiktet'' (1968)
* ''Návod k upotřebení'' (1969)
* ''Očitý svědek'' (
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
1983)
* ''Prométheova játra'' (
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
1985, Prague 1991)
* ''Roky v dnech'' (1992)
Translations and re-told stories
* ''Ezop: Bajky'' (1957, adaptation of old Czech texts)
* ''
Kocourkov'' (1959, based on
Johann Friedrich von Schönberg, written with
Josef Hiršal)
* ''O podivuhodném životě mudrce Ezopa, který rozuměl řeči ptáků, zvířat, hmyzu, rostlin i věcí'' (1960, adaptation of old Czech texts, written with Hiršal)
* ''Enšpígl'' (1962, adaptation of old German texts, written with Hiršal)
* ''Baron Prášil'' (1965, based on
Gottfried August Bürger
Gottfried August Bürger (31 December 1747 – 8 June 1794) was a German poet. His ballads were very popular in Germany. His most noted ballad, ''Lenore (ballad), Lenore'', found an audience beyond readers of the German language in an English l ...
, written with Hiršal)
Plays
* ''Mor v Athénách'' (1965)
* ''Unser täglich Brot'' (
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
1966, translated by K. B. Schäufellen, in Czech ''Chléb náš vezdejší'', Prague 1991)
Visual art
His first exhibitions in 1937 focused on his collages. In the 1960s Kolář first combined painting and poetry but he gradually turned completely to experiments in visual art. In his work he used a scalpel to cut pictures out of magazines. He produced colors in his collages by gluing on printed fragments of paper from various different sources.
His collages were intended to influence the viewer's outlook on life; the technique of using fragments of text and images from various different sources was well suited to achieve the effect Kolář wanted, by showing the destruction and fragmentation of the world Kolář inhabited. Simultaneously, by juxtaposition and contrasting of these different fragments the technique of the collage served to create surprising and visually striking new combinations; for instance, the combination of astronomical maps with Braille writing. Kolář invented or helped to develop new techniques of collage –
confrontage,
froissage,
rollage, chiasmage and others.
From the 1960s Kolář's visual artwork was featured regularly in exhibitions by galleries and museums. Some of the more prominent exhibitions of his work were in the New York
Guggenheim museum in 1975, in Prague in 1994 in Dům U Černé Matky Boží, in Madrid in 1996 in the
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.
File:07. Jiří Kolář, V plném slunci (1959), koláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, In full sunlight (1959), collage
File:08. Jiří Kolář, Sklopená tvář (1960), stratifie.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Cast down face (1960), stratifie
File:37. Jiří Kolář, Hudební kruh (1965), reliéfní chiasmáž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Musical Circle (1965), embossed chiasmage
File:21. Jiří Kolář, Popisný portrét, 1963, koláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Descriptive portrait (1963), collage
File:35. Jiří Kolář, Zamilovaná lady (1967), roláž-kubománie.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Lady in love (1967), rollage-cubomania
File:30. Jiří Kolář, Bez názvu (1959-1962), roláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, No title (1959–1962), rollage
File:13. Jiří Kolář, Jednou i ty posluž múze (1962), muchláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Serve to Muse, at least once (1962), froissage
File:Jiří Kolář, Pocta Palachovi (1968-1969).jpg, Jiří Kolář, Hommage to Jan Palach
Jan Palach (; 11 August 1948 – 19 January 1969) was a Czech student of history and political economics at Charles University in Prague. His self-immolation in 1969 at age 20 was a political protest against the end of the Prague Spring resul ...
(1968–1969), rollage and collage
File:19. Jiří Kolář, Krásné peklo (1971), proláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Beautiful hell (1971), prollage
File:18. Jiří Kolář, P.F. 89 (1988), interkoláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, P.F. 89 (1988), intercollage
File:12. Jiří Kolář, Bez názvu II (1965), škrábaná koláž s chiasmáží.jpg, Jiří Kolář, No title (1965), scratched collage and chiasmage
File:27. Jiří Kolář, Lohengrin, komiks (1964), koláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Lohengrin, comics
a Media (communication), medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of Panel (comics), panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, Glo ...
(1964), collage
File:06. Jiří Kolář, Spáči (1952), konfrontáž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Sleepers (1952), confrontage
File:42. Jiří Kolář, W.A. Mozart (60. léta), chiasmáž, kolážovaný objekt.jpg, Jiří Kolář, W. A. Mozart (60s), chiasmage, collaged object
File:25. Jiří Kolář, Odaliska (1964), rozepínací koláž, roláž.jpg, Jiří Kolář, Odalisque (1964), unzipped collage, rollage
Notes
External links
Complete works of Kolář published in 1990s(in Czech)
Artist Jiří KolářARTLIST- database of contemporary Czech art
Jiří Kolář Bibliography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kolar, Jiri
1914 births
2002 deaths
People from Protivín
People from the Kingdom of Bohemia
Charter 77 signatories
Czech male poets
Czech male dramatists and playwrights
Group 42
Czech collage artists
20th-century Czech poets
20th-century Czech dramatists and playwrights
Herder Prize recipients
Recipients of the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk