Vladislav Mirvald

The work of Vladislav Mirvald (1921-2003), an underappreciated representative of Czech geometric abstraction, uniquely paraphrases the development curve of modern painting: through the cubist period, surrealism and realism he worked his way to abstract expression, in which we can further spot three significant periods of Lettrism, combinatoric structures and Op art. Mirvald’s art was mostly born privately, out of the artist’s need to respond to the impulses of a modern artistic expression, and above all, to the challenges of his own intellectual curiosity. He was strongly inspired by the laws of nature, applying their principles to his compositions in an original way. The publication shows the experimental nature of his work, its playfulness as well as its modest transcendental aspects. It also sheds light on Mirvald’s relation to the Louny art circle, pointing out the connection with the theoretical thinking of the period, and explores his work in the context of 20th century art in Europe and worldwide. The book contains exhibition lists, biographical and bibliographic data and an English summary.