Jiří Kolář
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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 Kolář
ARTLIST- 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