Jaroslav Róna. Silence and myths

This year’s open-air exhibition of the Smetana Art Festival Litomyšl is dedicated to Jaroslav Róna, a sculptor who needs little introduction in the Czech context. Just think of the monument to Franz Kafka in Prague or the equestrian statue of Margrave Jost in Brno. The exhibition in Litomyšl entitled Silence and Myths is the author’s most comprehensive show in public space to date.

The grace of Jaroslav Róna’s sculptural works lies in the figure, through which he reflects his rich imagination instead of reality, embodied in proxy symbols in the form of humanoid and animal beings. The silent, mythical worlds of J. Róna come to life in monuments whose shape deformation, reminiscent of totems or idols of natural nations, is so organic that they do not appear as a foreign element in the urban civilization of the 21st century. On the contrary, the stoic calm of the majestic statues accentuates the fact that the city is not only a source of stress, but also a safe zone, capable of providing a backdrop and an opportunity for relaxation.

The opening of the exhibition will take place in the form of a guided tour on Saturday 13 June at 15:00.
Meeting place: in front of the Piarist Church of the Finding of St. Crosses