It can be said that MAXIM’s early work continued the legacy of Informel – non-geometric abstract and action painting, whose main representative was the Spanish artist Antoni Tàpies, who, like MAXIM, experimented with materials, implementing crushed marble, clay, concrete or other materials into classical oil painting. In the last phase of his work, however, he rather transformed closer to Tachism, i.e. again into painting unencumbered by form and not bound by strict rules. He uses a seemingly plastic line and the principles of calligraphy, which has its roots in MAXIM’s typography and calligraphy studio at Hellich School in Prague. His work is instinctive, emphasizes authentic subjective expression, is characterized by a strong principle of intuition, playfulness, uses gestural technique and shows signs of automatism.
MAXIM used a specific technique as one of his primary working methods, which he developed over a long period of time. He created a special material which he poured onto the canvas. This created works that were on the border between sculpture and painting. In the exhibition at Sotheby’s Int. Realty, you will find a selection of works that reflect both of MAXIM’s creative phases, the older purely informel and the newer tachistic.
The exhibition also includes Unfinished Andy, an original photograph of pop-art icon Andy Warhol, created in collaboration with American photographer Karen Bystedt. She is known for her series The Lost Warhols, which is part of the permanent collections of museums and galleries around the world. She created images of pop-art icon Andy Warhol right in his famous The Factory. MAXIM has refined the original photograph into a painting that can be seen in the exhibition.
MAXIM’s images reflect his inner feelings and the free flow of his own thoughts, expressing his inner struggle to find a higher meaning, the search for truth or the significance of time. Another of his distinctive themes is the insignificance of the individual in the grandiose scale of the universe.
MgA. Karolína Dědková, Head of the Art Exhibition Program at Czech Republic Sotheby’s Int. Realty. Realty regularly hosts quality artists from the world of contemporary Czech art. As part of the preparation of the art program at Sotheby’s Int. Realty, we target contemporary art from a comprehensive perspective. We present Czech living artists who are strong artistic personalities, original and have something to say, regardless of the field in which they work: be it painting, sculpture, photography, design or architecture. A long-standing initiative of Sotheby’s Int. Realty’s ongoing initiative should encourage quality art to be seen as an integral part of interior design and give prospective buyers of our properties a better understanding of contemporary art.”
The exhibition can be visited by appointment at Sothebys.cz
About Czech Republic Sotheby’s Int. Realty:
The Czech Republic office of Sotheby’s International Realty® is part of the global network of a leader in the sale of unique properties. The team of professionals uses local market knowledge, international contacts and strategic partnerships to present and sell unique properties. By working with international partners, it is possible to broker the sale of a property in line with a particular lifestyle anywhere in the world.
Sotheby’s Int. Realty, which bears the prestigious name of Sotheby’s auction house, in addition to selling real estate, continues the auction house’s unquestionable legacy in the art world. It gives space to works of art, similar to the format of residential galleries, where the artists’ exhibitions change regularly and the works are placed in a more vibrant context than in a regular gallery setting. The exhibition is visited by those who come to our office for business, book a specific date for a private viewing or by invited guests during client soirées.
