Page 35 - Studio International - June 1973

pitchforks in one room, and bales of straw piled discovered excellent material in the red and (Top left)
Zorka Ságlová
about in the other. It seemed to me a fine thing blue enamelled metal of old battered pots and Hay/Straw Environment 1969
to see such everyday reality in a place where one pans, and pieces of scrap iron that came to hand. Photo: Jan Sagl
expects to find esoteric works of modern art. Recently, she has begun to make 'angels'. One of (Bottom left)
But why the scandal ? I didn't understand then them, An Angel for Vitik, is once again made of Vera Janousková
and I still don't. Perhaps it was because Zorka scraps of enamelled metal enhanced by the Angel for Vitik
Sculpture assemblage
Ságlová, like Vera Janousková before her, addition of old advertising plaques. The statue
(Above)
completely ignored the established aesthetic began to take shape during Vitik's serious Alena Kucerová
norms, not even taking issue with them. And illness, and it was not completed until after his Bathing 1971
thus quite simple and undoubtedly very death. And yet it is not an angel of death, but Tinned plate (matrix for printing)
feminine expressions, deriving from a joyful rather one of inexhaustible life. Perhaps its 6o x 5o cm.
Photo: Jan Svoboda
relationship with the world and whose only mission was to inspire the dying Vitik with a bit
purpose was to reawaken this joy in the viewer, of joy and faith in the world in his last days, and
were interpreted as shocking insults. now it carries the message still beyond his death.
Since that time, Vera Janousková has done That angel is not simply gaiety. It might be
much new work, while essentially remaining more accurate to say that here we are on levels
true to the same approach. Her starting point is beyond joy and sadness, and nearer to something
most frequently found objects. Back in 1962, more primitive. With her sculpture, Vera
she constructed those jolly models mainly from Janousková confronted death, just as Adriena
old ceramic forms and iron rods. Later she Simotová did to an even greater extent with her
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