{"id":9584,"date":"2004-02-02T21:34:39","date_gmt":"2004-02-03T04:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=9584"},"modified":"2020-03-24T04:50:58","modified_gmt":"2020-03-24T10:50:58","slug":"the-ecclecticism-of-lenka-konopasek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/the-ecclecticism-of-lenka-konopasek\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ecclecticism of Lenka Konopasek"},"content":{"rendered":"
photos by Steve Coray<\/address>\n
\"Lenka<\/a>

Lenka Konopasek in her Salt Lake home, photo by Steve Coray<\/p><\/div>\n

When artists from other countries work in Utah (which, despite some protests to the contrary, is hardly a melting pot) they are often labeled as a pure product of their country. Viewers automatically look to see clear evidence of that in their work. Some galleries around town even carry artwork created by artists specific to a particular nationality or culture. Mestizo Gallery carried Hispanic work exclusively. Liberty Art Gallery at Trolley Square currently represents mostly Russian artists who paint mostly landscapes of their native country.<\/p>\n

Salt Lake City artist Lenka Konopasek was born and raised in the Czech Republic, but finding a \u201cCzechness\u201d in her art might prove difficult. Despite the location of her upbringing, Lenka also lived in Germany and traveled extensively, but for the past fifteen years she has been a permanent resident of Salt Lake City.<\/p>\n

Konopasek is often labeled as an Eastern European artist. She is proud to be Czech and she says her country will always be a part of her, but Lenka is a good example of an artist who does not impose a culture on her artwork; she simply creates art and allows her inherent culture to manifest itself where it may. Her travels and her tendency to explore different subjects and media contribute to the eclectic nature of her work.<\/p>\n

Four years after graduating from the School of Applied Arts, Painting, Architectural Design and Scenic Design in Prague, Konopasek immigrated to the United States. She earned a BFA at the University of Utah and soon after earned her Masters at the Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine. Pursuing a career in art has been a full-time job ever since.<\/p>\n

Being a product of different cultures and influences is not the only thing that makes it difficult to categorize Konopasek; over the past fifteen years she has worked in a range of media including painting, sculpture and mixed media. She\u2019s experimented with abstract styles and representational styles. \u201cMy art has changed over the years so much \u2013 it evolves. To me it makes perfect sense. In the past three years I\u2019ve done a lot of three-dimensional work, and I\u2019ve used a lot of things I\u2019ve found. I\u2019ve used boxes, suitcases\u2026that has been on my mind a lot, but I needed a break from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lenka<\/a>

Lenka Konopasek in her Salt Lake home, photo by Steve Coray<\/p><\/div>\n

Although her art has changed, a common thread of exploration manifests itself throughout the years. Konopasek says if exploration is in fact a theme, it\u2019s more of an inward exploration than an outward one. \u201cI think exploration is equal to creation. You can\u2019t create unless you explore. Going through grad school I was more conscious about what I was exploring, about finding my place in the world, my confusion about where I am and my connection to where I\u2019m from.\u201d<\/p>\n

A quality of exploration and eclecticism appears to manifest itself not only in Konopasek\u2019s artwork, but also in the way she decorates her home. Her house is warm, colorful and inviting. Everywhere you turn something new finds you; whether it\u2019s a painting, a photograph, a collection of Konopasek\u2019s eyeglasses or a piece of Cordell Taylor\u2019s furniture. Konopasek and Taylor have been together for the past twelve years, and Konpasek is gradually bringing different furniture into their home. She likes the furniture Taylor makes, but she says it can be a little overwhelming and sometimes harsh; so she\u2019s brought some softer materials into the mix. Variety and balance in her home seems to make her comfortable as she allows the diverse styles of furniture and artwork mingle in pleasant agreement. This appeal for different styles coming together makes sense in regards to her artwork.<\/p>\n

Konopasek doesn\u2019t like the idea of categorizing her art, but if she did, she would call it mixed media. Most of it is commentary on the practice of painting. \u201cI started with a lot of abstract work, but lately I\u2019m very realistic. The only thing that is not real is the fact that it\u2019s out of focus; other than that, it\u2019s very real. I have always been playing with this idea that I want to be a sculptor, but I\u2019m always painting. I don\u2019t want to call myself a sculptor and sometimes I have a hard time calling myself a painter. That gets difficult when applying for teaching positions. They want to categorize you in an institutional setting. They get frustrated if you do too many things.\u201d<\/p>\n