It comes as no surprise that the world operates differently than we tend to assume. Whether we delve into sociopolitical realms or rely on science, we repeatedly find that the more we discover, the more often we must redefine our understanding of reality.
Amoeba Ignita immerses itself in this fluid instability: it explores evolution, transformation, and spontaneity. It uncovers the unknown in an effort to gradually approach the very core of existence. Color codes, geometric shapes, and combinations of concave and convex curves challenge our imagination. Organic elements awaken memories that we recognize more through emotion than through rational thought.
Though the work of Czech visual artist Jan Kaláb is in constant evolution, his signature style is instantly recognizable. Vivid color spectrums, combined with forms rooted in geometric foundations, result in works that appear simultaneously organically soft and digitally precise. Much of the experience unfolds between surface and space—or, more precisely, between illusion and reality. Everything is both static and dynamic. Kaláb’s work deftly balances between painting and painterly installations, which naturally transcend the boundaries of canvas (and at times, even walls), becoming confident painterly objects in their own right. The freedom of forms, formal reduction, color gradation, and contrasts draw us into a play of optical illusions and biological transformations.
Kaláb’s debut solo exhibition in Slovakia, Amoeba Ignita, offers an intense yet meditative experience, defined by muted colors. The imaginative setting, bridging micro- and macrocosms, evokes imagery seen through a microscope, sonar-captured underwater scenes, or telescopic images of distant galaxies. Organic shapes introduce elements of biology and nature, prompting a perception of time and space as ever-changing processes.
The selection of new works showcases Kaláb’s interest in abstract expression, echoing elements of op art and minimalism that serve as triggers for the imagination. The dynamic installation presents a combination of flat paintings and relief painterly objects that organically stretch throughout the gallery space, creating a rhythmic composition in which calm groupings alternate with highlighted moments of tension. Principles of dynamic color field shifts merge with gradual transitions across color spectrums. Simple, yet masterfully executed forms naturally guide our attention from the whole to the detail—drawing us into subtle gradients, optical vibrations, and illusory spatial games, and encouraging haptic interaction.
Curator: Michal Stolárik, SK
Back to overview