Prokop Bartoníček (*1983) belongs to the young generation of contemporary artists who use the latest technological innovations as a natural means of expression. Their creative arena isn’t the studio but the entire global communications network. In contrast to many of his contemporaries, Bartoníček doesn’t disengage from the experienced dimensions of human being; he doesn’t journey off into the artificial realm of virtual reality. His work is, instead, focused on a carefully considered (though continually experimental) juxtaposition of the captivatingly perfect expression of electronic media and the no less fascinating ‘real’ world of humanity and nature. In the dialogue between these two spheres, Bartoníček is primarily concerned with revealing the processes that take place in the human mind, in nature and the universe. In doing so, he stimulates in our imagination an awareness of the laws (but also unpredictable phenomena) that determine both the tangible framework of human civilisation and the incalculable motions of the cosmos.
Richard Drury, the chief curator of the Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region (GASK)
Prokop Bartoníček was born in Prague in 1983. In 2003, he was accepted into the atelier of sculpture of Prof. Beranek at UMPRUM. Between 2007 and 2008, he was a student of Prof. Joachim Sauter at UdK Berlin. He lives and works in Prague and primarily focuses on developing light, interactive, and experimental projects.
2008-2015 he organized art exhibitions to present the Berlin experimental scene in Prague. Furthermore, he founded a cultural center called Ex Post.
Individual exhibitions
2024: Prague, CZ / Gallery Komart / Laser Screen Printing
2014: Kutná Hora, CZ / Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region / 49° 56.822, 15° 15.870
2010: Prague, CZ / 22presents / Worlds as fragments
2007: Prague, CZ / Konsepti, NoD, Montanelly, Ciant, Indigo Space, Velryba / Network Streetart
Selected collective exhibitions
2023: Zlín, CZ / Trienále Dům umění II: Zlínský salon / painting Masquerade
2020: Brno, CZ / Národní Technické Muzeum / Jller
2019: Žilina, SK / Nová synagóga Žilina – Index Fossil / Jller
2016: Tel Aviv, IZ / Print Screen Festival / Vibrator 2.2
2016: Linz, A / Ars Electronica Festival / Jller
2015: Prague, CZ / Ex Post - Ignorance (with Benjamin Maus) / Jller
2014: Prague, CZ / Trafačka – 8 years of collective / Laser Screen Printing
2014: Toruń, PL / Bela Skyway festival / Phosphor 360 ver. B (pebe/lab)
2014: London, UK / Red Gallery: Trafačka – Temple of the freedom / Flash-face
2014: Prague, CZ / Lunchmeet festival, Chemistry gallery / Laser Screen Printing
2013: Prague, CZ / Trafačka – 7 years of collective / Phosphor 360 ver. B (pebe/lab)
2013: Prague, CZ / Signal festival / Phospohor 360 ver. B (pebe/lab)
2012: Zagreb, HR / DeviceArt / Vibrator 2 beta
2011: Dresden, DE / CYNETART ’11 / Vibrator
2011: Prague, CZ / Enter5 biennial / Vibrator
2011: Berlin, DE / AMAZE United, Transmediale ’11 / You can’t hide it all
2010: Istanbul, TR / Amber Festival 2010 / Vibrator
2010: Prague, CZ / gallery of National Technical Library, Body Limits / Vibrator
2009: Berlin, DE / DesignTransfer – Design Mai / Urna – the shape with meaning
2009: Zlín, CZ / Zlínský Salón mladých / You can’t hide it all
2009: Prague, CZ / DOX – Enter4 / Urna – the shape with meaning
2009: Helsinki, FI / Kiasma Museum – PixelAche09 / Urna – the shape with meaning
2008: Berlin, DE / UdK Rundgang / Urna – the shape with meaning, Vibrator – data of the beauty
Awards
2016: Ars Electronica, Honorary Mention, for project Jller
2008: NG333 award of National gallery in Prague (the award we recived as artistic group Ztohoven, for action Medial Reality, 2007) (NY Times article, Michael Kimmelman, 2008)
Art groups and collectives
2019-presence: Aeon Art Collective
2007-2015: Art collective Trafačka
2003-2008: Art group Ztohoven (team varies each action)
Live performance, scenography
2015: Sun For Tree at Strom of Jakub Nepraš, Sunlight reflection improvisation
2011: Operative Performances, Untitled (cooperative work for LEAP Berlin)
2010: Worlds as fragments II., real-time animation of matter, visuals for orchestra BERG, composer: Petr Wajsar
2010: visuals for Jiří Havelka’s theatre play “Ubu se baví”, thatre Na zábradlí
2006: live VJing for MOFFOM film festival Prague, gala show, cooperation with Pavel Fajt
2005-2007: part stage designer and full visuals designer of Chinaski (Universal Music) band tours
1999 – 2007: I regularly participated in independent events (Smylsy, Stromy – Tree) and was part of the collective Ztohoven. Mostly focused on VJing (VJ ATARI aka atari.sys), live electronic music production, performances, and scenography.
Presentations, lectures, jury, selected media
2016: a member of the jury of master’s degree works at the University of Tomas Baťa, Zlin. CZ
2015: lecture for students at the University of Tomas Baťa, Zlín, CZ
2013: lecture for students at New Media Studies at Charles University in Prague, CZ 2012: lecture for students at New Media Studies at Charles University in Prague, CZ 2012: presentation for ADC (Art Directors Club), HUB, Prague, CZ
2011: lectures (2x 90 min) at VŠE (University of Economics) Prague
2011: “You can’t hide it all” at Komfort + Živel mag release, 2.patro, Prague, CZ
2011: ARTMIX talent (cz), Česká Televize, TV video, 8 min
2010: Parenthesis Gutenberg, Cultura y Media conference at CCGSM, Buenos Aires, ARG
2010: lecture at FUD-UJEP (cz), Ústí nad Labem, CZ
2010: presentation at Pecha Kucha Night (cz), Praha, CZ
2009: presenting Urna project on PixelAche09, Kiasma Museum, Helsinki, FI
2009: As Ztohoven art collective member; presenting guest at The Influencers (en), Barcelona, ES