The Sphere, Or You’ll Pass Ten Stones on the Way to the Abyss (2023)

The sphere in the title of this exhibition serves as a symbol. In his artwork, Jakub Matuška, also known as Masker, captures a feeling that many of us experience as we reach middle age. The seemingly endless party of youth is over, and time has sliced our lives into a succession of work deadlines and family obligations. Even the word “vacation” now carries a painfully true meaning. Despite the worries of everyday life, the longing for freedom and self-fulfillment remains. In such a situation, unselfish human beings have no choice but to accept that they will only embark on the “journey of the spirit” after they have driven their children home from community clubs, fed them, bathed them, and put them to bed. This is only a fragment of life’s reality, which cannot be avoided without hurting anyone. Masker’s paintings are allegories of the feelings he experiences at this stage of his life as an artist, a partner, and a father. As a spiritual person, he keeps thinking about how much the “sphere” of new worries is a test we are once again to stand. But who knows? We may end up “falling into the abyss” anyway.

For the exhibition at Villa Pellé, Masker has created a new series of paintings and drawings. Rather than complaining about his own fate, he allows himself to be carried away by images that show ordinary situations as part of a larger framework. The exhibition “Spheres, or You Pass Ten Stones on the Way to the Abyss” explores the theme of balance, a pursuit not confined solely to the individual but also extending to one’s interactions with the surrounding environment. These two aspects are intricately intertwined, enveloping an individual from all directions.

The central figure in the exhibition (let’s refrain from labelling him figure as a “hero”) is a man, or rather, men. Masker’s work encapsulates the universal inner dialogue, ultimately bearing witness to the relational and emotional evolution of men amidst the transformation of their social roles. Gone are the days when a man served as the sole provider and public spokesperson for the family, not to mention when he could perceive himself as the lofty guardian of the patriarchal order. The uncertainties he faces in this context not only introduce new responsibilities but also usher him into uncharted territories of a more considerate and empathetic “new masculinity.” During this journey, he encounters challenges that often require him to grapple with unfamiliar situations for the first time in his life. Masker’s depictions of men are grotesquely static, seemingly dancing involuntarily with their own shadows, engaged in prayer, but apparently no longer solely for their own benefit. Alongside this, the motif of the family, which either creates or at least contributes to this transformation, emerges within the paintings. Although Masker’s inspiration for these new paintings and drawings arises from his personal life circumstances, his perspective resonates with a broader shift in the way men approach their relationship with their surroundings.

The absence of technical precision, a feat Masker achieves even through digital modifications of the initial sketch, presents a long-standing paradox within his artistic approach. In this regard, Masker seems to be continually exploring the essence of painting in an era when our visual landscape is heavily shaped by machines, and the painter must find a way to respond. Conversely, such an approach allows Masker to infuse a personal touch while also maintain a certain distance from the purely personal realm, granting him insights that transcend it. The pop color palette, enriched by pastel hues of the frames, coupled with the stylization, which still bears traces of Masker’s roots in street art, contribute to the overall atmosphere. Despite addressing serious themes, a sense of humor permeates his work. Masker does not depict the tormented middle-aged man in a state of tearful (self-)emotion. Instead, he infuses a touch of caricature, adding an additional layer of emotions to his paintings. This approach is essential because taking oneself too seriously in perpetuity would be incongruent with Masker’s artistic history, which has always featured playful depictions of humanity in its surroundings.