Open in new tab - Back to search results

Zdeněk Manina

General presentation

Zdeněk Manina His works of art include sculptures, drawings, and paintings.

1961 in Kladno

1976 – 1980 studied at Gymnasium Kladno

1980 – 1986 studied at VŠUP Praha (Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague), atelier of ceramics and porcelain

1987 – 1994 worked as an art designer, DUV Keramo Praha

1994 – 1997 lecturer at atelier of ceramics and porcelain, teaching spatial work, at IVK UJEP (Faculty of Art and Design) in Ústí nad Labem

1997 – 2000 teaching art at Gymnasium Kladno

2003 – 2005 lecturer at atelier of ceramics and porcelain at VŠUP Praha (Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague)

Since 2007 teaching art at Gymnasium Kladno

2008 drawing perspective course at Philosophical Faculty of UJEP in Usti nad Labem, major documentation of sights Individual

Exhibitions:

1989 Drawings and paintings, Jiří Wolker Theatre, Prague Paintings, the Gallery 55, Kladno

1993 Drawings, Pod Palmovkou Theatre, Prague 1994 Sculptures and drawings, ceramic sculpture, the Municipal Museum in Kladno

1996 The Light, the Shade and the Porcelain, together with Karel Nepraš, Miroslav Páral, Ivan Jelínek, Galerie U prstenu (the Gallery at the Ring), Prague

1998 Figures, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, Zámecká galerie v Kladně (the Chateau Art Gallery in Kladno), the old hetman ‘s residence at the Křivoklát castle

1999 Gallery Sklo (glass), ceramic sculpture, Tula Art centre, Atlanta, the USA 2000 We Shall Fly, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, Galerie U prstenu (the Gallery at the Ring), Prague, Rabasova galerie Rakovník (the Rabas’s Gallery in Rakovník)

2001 We Shall Fly, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, The Municipal Museum in Čelákovice

2001 We Shall Fly, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting gallery Chodovská tvrz (Chodov Fortress), Prague

2002 Balances, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, Galerie města Plzně (the Municipal Gallery in Pilsen), Pilsen

2004 Objects and Sculptures, ceramic sculpture, the XXL Gallery, Louny, together with Academician Sculptor P. Knapek

2004 The Exemplary Ones, ceramic sculpture, drawing, the Municipal Theatre in Kolín

2005 Children ‘s Games, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, Studio Paměť (The Memory Studio), Prague

2005 The Exemplary Ones, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, Galerie U dobrého pastýře (The Gallery at the Good Shepherd), BKC, Brno

2005 Ceramics and Porcelain, the Municipal Leisure Centre in Soběslav, the St. Mark ‘s Church Gallery

2007 Sculptures and Paintings, ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, Zámecká galerie v Kladně (The Chateau Art Gallery in Kladno), together with René Krása

2010 The Bottom of the Ford Might Be Cobbled Sometimes, ceramic and laminate sculpture, drawing and painting, Alšova jihočeská galerie v Hluboké nad Vltavou (the Aleš‘s Gallery of South Bohemia in Hluboká nad Vltavou), the International Museum of Ceramics in Bechyně

2010 Zdeněk Manina and David Cajthaml, ceramic and laminate sculpture, drawing and painting Sládečkovo vlastivědné muzeum v Kladně (The Sládeček’s Museum of National History in Kladno), Kladno

2011 The Persons Maker, ceramic and laminate sculpture, drawing and painting, Lidice Memorial, the Lidice Gallery

2012 The Blade Is Becoming Blunt, The Blade Is Being Sharpened, ceramic and laminate sculpture, drawing and painting, The Summer Residence Ostrov, a local branch of The Gallery of Fine Arts in Karlovy vary

2013 Borderline, photos, music club Dundee Jam, Kladno 2014 Zdeněk Manina and Libor Jaroš, ceramic, laminate and concrete sculpture and painting, Rabas’s gallery, Rakovník

2014 Airmen and Swimmers, ceramic, laminate and concrete sculpture and painting, The Municipal Museum in Čelákovice 2015 Ordinary relationships, ceramic, laminate and concrete sculpture and painting, Bastion XXXI u Božích muk, Prague 

2016 Statues for blissful courtyard, ceramic, laminate and concrete sculpture and painting, The Municipal Museum in Slaný, Slaný

2017 Exposition, ceramic, laminate and concrete sculpture and painting, Gallery Nová síň (The Gallery New Hall), Prague

Collective exhibitions / selection

1987 Under 35 artists, Výstavní síň Mánes (The Exhibition Hall Manes), Prague

1989 Ceramic sculpture, Vojanovy sady (The Vojan’s Gardens), Prague

1990 Ceramics 90, Vsetín, Brno, Prague

1993 Sculpture and Clay, the State Gallery of Fine Arts in Cheb, the Gallery of Fine Arts in Karlovy Vary – the Summer Residence Ostrov, the Gallery of Central Bohemia – the Museum of Modern Art in Prague

1994 Sculpture and Clay, the Second Time, Výstavní síň Mánes (The Exhibition Hall Manes), Prague Contemporary Czech Ceramics, the House at the Stone Bell, Prague The Works of Czech Ceramics, the Gallery of the Czech Ceramic Design Agency, Czech Krumlov

1996 International Exhibition of Ceramic Works, the Gallery of the Czech Ceramic Design Agency, Czech Krumlov Hear the Voice – Sculpture in the Old Testament Ideas, Strahov Monastery, Prague

1998 Painting Symposium, Moravany nad Váhom, the Exhibition Hall of the Union of Fine Arts, Bratislava

2000 From a Vessel to a Sculpture – the contemporary Czech ceramics, the New Town City Hall in Prague

2004 Sculpture and Clay at the Castle, Sovinec castle

2004 The Kladno Salon 1, Zámecká galerie v Kladně (The Chateau Art Gallery in Kladno)

2005 Sculpture and Clay at the Chateau, the Museum of Central Bohemia in Roztoky u Prahy

2006 The Kladno Salon 2, Zámecká galerie v Kladně (The Chateau Art Gallery in Kladno)

2008 International Exhibition of Ceramic Works, the Gallery of the Czech Ceramic Design Agency, Czech Krumlov

2008 The Kladno Salon 3, Zámecká galerie v Kladně (the Chateau Art Gallery in Kladno)

2008 Art czechy (the Czech Article), Galeria Sztuki Wscpolczesnej (the Gallery of Contemporary Art), Opole, Poland

2009 The Peoplemeter, the Zbraslav Art Gallery, the Municipal House, Prague – Zbraslav

2009 The Central Bohemian Biennial, Rabasova galerie Rakovník (the Rabas’s Gallery in Rakovník)

2009 The Association of Central Bohemian Artists, members‘exhibition, Rabasova galerie Rakovník (the Rabas’s Gallery in Rakovník)

2010 The Association of Central Bohemian Artists, members‘exhibition, Rabasova galerie Rakovník (the Rabas’s Gallery in Rakovník)

2010 Tschechische Künstler aus Mittelböhmen (Czech Artists from Central Bohemia), the BBK Gallery Mainz

2011 The Peoplemeter, the Zbraslav Art Gallery, the Municipal House, Prague – Zbraslav

2011 The Association of Central Bohemian Artists, members‘exhibition, Rabasova galerie Rakovník (The Rabas’s Gallery in Rakovník)

2012 – 2016 Ceramic meeting, Sculpture, and Space, Kolín

2012 Central Bohemian association of the artists, Central Bohemians in Gate, Gallery and information Centre of the Central Bohemian region, Prague

2012 Ceramic sculpture, Frantiskan monastery, City museum, Kadaň

2013 Artceramics, Novoměstská radnice, Praha

2013 Ceramic summer, Gallery Špejchar, Chomutov

2014 Swimmers, Regional gallery Liberec, Liberec

2014 European ceramic context

2014, Bornholm art museum, Denmark Included in Collections: the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague Alšova jihočeská galerie v Hluboké nad Vltavou (the Aleš‘s Gallery of South Bohemia in Hluboká nad Vltavou) the Gallery of West Bohemia in Plzeň the Gallery of Moravia, Brno the Rabas‘s Gallery, Rakovník

Realizations / selection

1996 fountain, ceramic sculpture, Třída T. G. M. (T. G. M. Street), Kladno

1999 large stained glasses, bronze sculpture, Točná

2001 tin painting restoration – Crucifixion, Kladno

2003 fountain, granite and bronze, Třída T. G. M. (T. G. M. Street), together with the architect P. Šulc,

2003 paintings and bronze sculpture, a private house, Horní Bezděkov

2004 figural relief, acrylate synthetic resin, Mipol company facility, Kladno

2005 paintings, Topham company facility, Vienna

2006 paintings and figural ceramic sculpture, the headmaster’s office, Gymnasium Kladno

2008 paintings, Main stream s. r. o. company facility, Prague

2009 figural sculpture, laminate, Vitry sur Seine, France

2010 the world wars casualties’ memorial, sandstone, Braškov

2011 Swimmer, bronze and granite, private house, Kladno – Rozdělov 2011 stained glass, private house, Velká Dobrá

2012 memorial Plaque with a bust of actor Rostislav Čtvrtlík, Olomouc

2015 Phoenix, fiberglass, Bolzáno Kladno headquarters, Kladno

2016 Dragon, stoneware, private villa Chlistov, Klatovy

I have been teaching continuously since 1989. Nowadays I am running individual courses in my studio and I am also teaching fine arts at grammar school in Kladno.

Imagine we don’t know anything about it… can you describe your profession?

I am a ceramist. Ceramics belongs among the oldest crafts. In fact, any shape made of clay, going through the heat of the furnace, may be considered a work of ceramics.Technically speaking, the ceramic stuff must undergo the process of getting exposed to the heat of fire to become solid, hard and more resistable to absorbing water. The ways of doing so are various. We can make ceramics straight from our hands or we can use moulds. As for moulds, ceramics might be either poured or pressed into them. Both techniques may be combined in a variety of options.

What materials do you use?

In my creative work I use clay with the highest resistance to soaking water, as I presume my works will be displayed outside. I make figurative sculptures so that I need to use clay with some kind of crisp additives to increase the steadiness of the work during the process of drying and firing.

Who is you ideal client’s profile?

My ideal customer or client is of higher education, belonging to either middle or even higher class (in terms of social status). They know why they want to own my work, as they often discuss my creative and working standards before the purchase itself. That’s why they know exactly what their image of a perfect sculpture looks like.

You chose to be a craftsman. How did this decision appear to be an evidence to you? How would you describe your work and your passion? What is the best moment you had in your job? Tell us your story in this profession.

At the age of 13 I saw a documentary on TV about the works of well-known Czech ceramists. I may call that moment epiphany, I guess. Give material a shape, glaze it and then get a real gem out of the furnace – that’s miraculous.

Yes, my work is my obsession. Anytime I get to work I do forget about time, I find myself cruising in a different dimension, where different laws are being followed. There’s nothing better than making up an assignment or topic and then consider the most effective way of fulfilling the task. Finally there’s the moment you take your work out of the furnace. From the very beginning to the very end of the creative process you only depend on your skills and will.

What roles do “talent”, “know-how” and “creativity” play in your profession?

Talent is essential in my profession. Nevertheless, creativity is even more important and, above all, perseverence and determination are strongly required.

And what about innovation, what are the changes since you started? New materials, tools, processes, marketing, … How could your profession be more innovative?

The process of production hasn‘t changed much in ceramics over the thousands of years. In time of my own career, the most significant innovation was the high-pressure casting and high-pressure moulding, which in fact belong rather to the field of mass industrial production. As for an artist in his studio, I would call the silicon mould, which makes it possible to work with various materials, such as fiberglass or concrete, with outstanding precission, a big step forward.

Where and how long did you train before you were ready for creating your business? Imagine that you want to invite young generations to choose your profession, what would be your message to them? 

In 1980 I started my studies at the Faculty of Decorative Arts in Prague in the department of ceramics and porcelain. After six years and my graduation I began to work as a designer in ceramic-producing business, where I got in charge of solving the problems in production as well as making portfolio of goods for the manufacture. Seven years later I became a freelance craftsman/artist and then I started teaching at the Faculty of Art and Design in Ústí nad Labem and at the Faculty of Decorative Arts in Prague. As for the young generation, I would like to pass on them that there‘s a great future in the field of ceramics; there‘s a lot of mystery in it and if they wish to experience the freedom of creative act in touch with clay, which is a natural phenomenon as it can literally stop time flowing, it is the right choice of their future occupation.

In conclusion, write a quote, a meaningful experience or a personal reflection that you would like to share with us and explain why.

First time I started working with clay systematically at university. I felt great respect for clay. One by one, I managed to learn all the techniques used in ceramics. I got fully devoted to this kind of artwork. It is the firing which shows the level of your readiness. It can destroy your work. It can increase its beauty. In the beginning I tested various options to reach the conclusion that I like the most when I find myself balancing on the edge of what is possible, leaving the usually used procedures far behind. I started forming sculptures in ceramics. Firstly abstract ones, later figurative.I shaped individual pre-prepared sheets, which makes you shape the inside part and the surface of the sculpture. Later I moved to sculpturer-like modelling process and I press the final shape of sculptures into the mould made of gypsum. This procedure enables me to slow down and pay closer attention to detal and finding the optimal final shape. I use different materials. My sculptures are just signs, not detailed portraits, although I do try to stick to real anatomic proportions. They are characters placed into various relations and interactions, often those of terminal spirit, opening various angles and points of view.

My grandpa, who was a joiner, (after finding out I was planning to study ceramics) told me: “It is a true craft.“ 

 

To know more about this craftsman, see his profile





















Related professionals

Ivo Chovanec

  • Crafts Professionals
  • Ceramic and terracotta crafts +2
  • Ostrava, Czechia

Atelier Lhotka by Otilie Šuterová-Demelová

  • otilie.suterova@seznam.cz
  • Crafts Professionals
  • Ceramic and terracotta crafts
  • Czechia

Elzbieta Grosseova

  • Crafts Professionals
  • Ceramic and terracotta crafts +2
  • Horoměřice, Czechia

Invite a friend

Contact details

    Loading...