Too late for 

Darkness

2016






Year
2016

Place
Fait Gallery, Brno

Curator
Adam Vrbka

 One of the defining characteristics of Ondřej Kotrč's work is his use of paper as a painting surface. He stretches the paper onto large frames, much like canvas, and paints on it, allowing the natural properties of the material to play an integral role in shaping the final appearance of the piece. On one occasion, Kotrč noticed how light passing through an unpainted blank surface projected the frame’s structure onto the front, creating a compositionally divided image. This observation became the conceptual foundation for the project he later realized at Fait Gallery, poetically titled Too Late for Darkness.

The installation consists of five painting-objects that could be described as light boxes, accompanied by two three-dimensional objects and a large gradient wall painting that sets the entire scene in an evocative atmosphere. Together, these elements form a hidden narrative, evoking the mood of a summer storm in an urban environment. The exhibition’s title reflects the author's contemplation and skepticism about humanity’s irreversible dependence on electricity. This bittersweet observation is embodied in the works: the vibrant light painting, diffused across the paper’s surface, vanishes when the electric current is interrupted, leaving behind only subtle traces of charcoal, pastel, and ink.

Kotrč revels in the interplay of opposites, juxtaposing contemporary light technology with the timeless medium of paper, which has been part of human culture for thousands of years. He treats the paper’s surface with delicate patterns of natural charcoal and pastels, allowing the colored “aerosol” of light, emitted from sources placed behind the frames, to dissolve between them. The resulting effect blurs the line between light and traditional pigment, creating an ambiguous surface where the method of "painting" is not immediately apparent. What ultimately reveals the true nature of the paintings are the omnipresent cables that sustain the works, stretching throughout the installation like veins that nurture its lifeblood. These cables, far from being hidden, emphasize the essential role of electricity in the works, making the viewer acutely aware of its significance and fragility.







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