Petr Kadaňka
(b. 82) Visual artist in general, presently mainly independent film-maker — director, photographer, art director — with broad coverage reflecting previous study of architecture and art (intermedia and digital creations). In his work he concentrates on processing the analogue image and its subsequent confrontation with contemporary means of expression and technologies. He is the co-founder of the independent film production company Rattlecinake focusing exclusively on raw film material and its specific characteristic — granularity. An indelible part of audiovisual creations is the original sound and music component, both presented under the Yeti Magic moniker. Apart from audiovisual production the most obvious interest is in interaction between a certain form of surface representation and a relief. As a result his complex artistic approach straddles the line between photography (film), painting and sculpture.
Sasha
The central theme of the work is the interpretation of the feelings connected with the problem of disappearing landscape values at the expense of uncontrolled development of suburban areas. It is a subjective thought product of several years of experience from architectural practice, including the author’s own participation in similar invasive development. This empirical evidence resulted in incessant questioning of ethical behaviour and responsibility. The keywords are suburbanisation, urban sprawl, development, satellite town, periphery, and the transformation of a place’s “aura" into a “non-aura””.
An indelible part of the work is constituted by thoughts on the general position of an object within the hierarchy of the (sub)urban space. Objects are not represented here only by positive examples in the form of aesthetic, navigation or vegetation elements. Its darker form is also in the centre of interest — waste, utilitarian technical and functional elements or a seemingly endless colonisation of the public spaces by cars. Colonisation of our minds. All space-forming objects are simultaneously psycho-forming. Their mental impact may be beneficial, may arouse an affect or stir emotion. But what if objects are completely missing in the public space? An urban object’s position is not far from that of an artefact, a prop of everyday life, which does not belong to people physically but mentally.
The title Sasha reflects the theme of the suburbs and peripheral architecture in general — it is an abbreviation for Suburbs aka Self-harming Architecture. Development undermining the foundations of architecture. However, it is primarily a neutral title allowing for subjective confrontation without previous deep insight.
