Jiří Balcar (1929–1968)

Jiří Balcar was a member of the circle around theorist Jindřich Chalupecký, and in the late 1950s was a pioneer of Czech post-war abstraction and calligraphy. After returning from a several-month stay in the United States on an artistic residency (1964) he became one of the first Czech artists to embrace pop-art. The paradoxical polarity of a keen existential sensibility and a sense of humour ranked him among the artists whose work represented a commentary on the absurdity and alienation of modern society. This monograph offers a new assessment of Balcar’s opus and for the first time presents it in its full breadth. It encompasses his free and applied work, as his contributions in the field of book design, illustration, and poster design were of fundamental significance. Besides his best-known work, the book also presents many never before reproduced pieces of work that help to provide a deeper understanding of this artist. The book also includes selected contemporary writings and a comprehensive bibliography.