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 2014: Kutná Hora, CZ / Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region / 49° 56.822, 15° 15.870 2010: Prague, CZ / showroom 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