Evening for Igor Zhoř
Greetings to Igor Zhoř

We cordially invite you to an Evening for Igor Zhoř, which will take place on Wednesday, 14 May 2025, at 6:00pm. The gathering in the exhibition space will be dedicated to Zhoř’s connection with the Brno art scene and will feature readings of lesser-known excerpts from his writings. These selections have been carefully chosen and will be presented in person by his friends and contemporaries.

The evening will also include a reading of the previously unpublished text Seven Parables of Orchards and Fruit (1983), a humorous allegory about painters. In addition, Radek Horáček will introduce his newly published book The Art of Brno by Igor Zhoř.

Entrance fee: 100 CZK

Tickets can be purchased in advance via GoOut.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:

The exhibition, prepared to mark the 100th anniversary of Igor Zhoř’s birth, will present the life and work of this influential theorist of art education and visual arts, teacher, curator, critic, and initiator of cultural events. From the 1950s to the late 1990s, Zhoř played a key role in shaping the artistic landscape of Brno.

Throughout his life, Zhoř was dedicated to the promotion and mediation of visual arts, firmly believing in their irreplaceable role in society. He consistently emphasized the importance of art’s socialization as a unique means of interaction and communication with the world. He engaged with modern and, in particular, contemporary artistic production in the Czech Republic and abroad, advocating for and closely following its diverse forms while actively working to make them accessible. His approach to art education was groundbreaking, as he integrated contemporary art with his own pedagogical methodology in an entirely innovative way.

His School of Visual Thinking concept from the 1980s, designed for non-professional artists, introduced a radically new approach to educational practice. By incorporating and internalizing visual, performative, and conceptual elements of contemporary art through direct creative experience, Zhoř transcended conventional teaching methods and opened new possibilities in art education.

The exhibition will showcase the breadth of Zhoř’s theoretical, popularization, educational, and organizational activities through a variety of materials. These will include a curated selection of archival documents—ranging from catalogs, publications, and correspondence to photographs from art events—as well as Zhoř’s conceptually designed PF cards, a collection of artworks on matchboxes, and pieces inspired by fire. Additionally, a selection from his extensive art collection will be displayed, highlighting Zhoř’s close relationships with multiple generations of artists, particularly those associated with the so-called Brno Circle. Among them are works by Dalibor Chatrný, Leonid Ochrymchuk, Vladimíra Sedláková, Jan Wojnar, Pavel Rudolf, Jan Steklík, J. H. Kocman, and many others.

Contemporary artist Tereza Velíková will present a video essay that offers a contemporary reflection on Zhoř’s concept of the School of Artistic Thinking, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Meanwhile, Vladimír Havlík’s participatory performance will introduce a performative dimension to the exhibition, actively engaging visitors in its realization.

The exhibition also features a small reading room, providing a space for relaxation or personal creative activities.

Photo: gor Zhoř, Zlín 1973