Cyberlemon

In his first solo exhibition in Prague since 2018, Hynek Martinec brings together a wide range of references to reflect on the current state of human consciousness. This publication accompanies the exhibition.

Having lived in London for over 17 years, the artist responds in his new works to an increasingly accelerated and polarised world, where unexpected and often paradoxical encounters between art, technology and social change occur. In an era of social fragmentation marked by the rise of extremist ideologies and identity politics, and a cultural landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, Martinec traces a path from the 'cradle of civilisation' in the Mediterranean — from the ancient cultures of Greece and the Roman Empire — to the present day. He asks: Where are we now? How did we get here?

Although Hynek Martinec’s works are often described as hyperrealistic or photorealistic, they cannot be so easily pigeonholed. Although his painting technique is rooted in the realist tradition, he combines imagery from various sources to create surreal juxtapositions and distort form and scale. The result is complex compositions that defy simple interpretation. In his latest pieces, for instance, he references ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, the paintings of Rubens and Titian, and the tradition of Dutch still lifes, as well as Damien Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skull and the Tesla Cybertruck electric vehicle. The motif of the lemon appears in many of the paintings in the current exhibition. This everyday fruit is so familiar that it is almost invisible. In the visual arts, however, the lemon has historically represented various ideas. Martinec has painted lemons throughout his career, and for him, the lemon is a motif that evokes historical themes while remaining 'neutral' in the context of current discussions about 'culture wars'.