Tone emerges from silence, and painting from emptiness.
Artist’s Statement of Chrisantem

My work is deeply autobiographical, rooted in intimate experiences of journeys into the subtle space between dream and reality. It portrays what is both visible and invisible to the eye, speaking of what is known and conscious as well as what is hidden in darkness and the unconscious. In this imagined space, memories, symbols, concepts, and archetypes converge; it is a realm where dreams already lived and those awaiting manifestation coexist, and I find an endless source of inspiration there.
From an early age, black-and-white photography was a constant in my life. The camera and darkroom became my sanctuaries, and photography provided me with a space to tell stories about the world as I see it—seemingly ordinary and simple, yet full of poetry, meanings, contrasts, and symbols. I culminated this exploration by studying photography at FAMU in Prague, after which followed a long creative hiatus.
In 2016, I experienced a traumatic event that shook my view of life to its core—I literally touched death. What followed was a deep and prolonged crisis in which my life seemed to crumble in my hands. I desperately searched for ways to ease the inner pain, which eventually led me to plants like Ayahuasca and Iboga. These plants, along with regular meditation, helped me process, understand, and transform some of my experiences. Still, I sensed an “empty space” within myself, for which I needed to find an adequate therapeutic method or artistic medium.
During that period, I often felt “shattered.” I wandered aimlessly through the city, frequently photographing and filming without a clear intention, attempting to write a novel in one night, crafting incomprehensible poems that even I couldn’t decipher. I also began learning to play several musical instruments and, as if that weren’t enough, I started drawing and painting intensively. Drawing and painting quickly became the most effective form of therapy for me and a way to communicate with myself and the world, without needing to put things into words or sentences.
I discovered a great passion for visual art within myself, and over time, painting became my predominant medium, alongside music—and writing, of course. I still have several unfinished books: a collection of sonnets, travelogues, fairy tales, novels, and even popular science books (on meditation and plants). I’ve also started painting five sets of tarot cards. Will I ever complete any of these projects? I believe so, but I am increasingly aware that the journey itself is my true destination.
Today, I primarily work with the layered oil painting technique, and I prefer creating large-scale canvases (2–4 meters), which allow me to include more details and meanings in a single piece. These paintings take weeks or months to complete, but this slow process compels me to think deeply about the work from the very beginning. I always start with sketching, searching for the right composition, figures, and environment to suit my thoughts. I let the painting emerge largely intuitively, as if it were coming from another world. I mostly paint at night. I love my solitary nights in the studio when it’s just me, the brush, and the colors, with the image gradually emerging. Tone emerges from silence, and painting from emptiness. Time disappears as I sink deeper into the colors and symbols, which gain meaning.
Among my favorite artists, I must mention names like Marc Chagall, Frida Kahlo, René Magritte, Henri Rousseau, and Vincent van Gogh. I feel a certain kinship with each of them, often through vivid colors or the naive tendencies of style that I also notice in my own work. I am also greatly inspired by the art of indigenous cultures.
If I were to situate my work within an existing artistic context, magical realism resonates most with me. I hover on the boundary between the real world, represented by figures, animals, and plants, and a “magical” world that I strive to include in my works, creating a dialogue and, at times, palpable tension. This is complemented by a sensitive use of expressive colors, brushstroke textures, and an intentional interplay of perspective and non-perspective, creating a counterpoint between chaos and harmony.
My paintings are multi-layered, inviting questions, introspection, and pause. They resonate with anyone willing to stop and look beneath the surface of ordinary reality.
CV of Chrisantem
1988 born in Moravska Trebova, Czech Republic
Education
2023-now Master’s studies in the Painting Studio at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Ostrava, under the guidance of Professor Daniel Balabán and Václav Rodek
2019-2022 Human Figures Drawing Studio of prof. Boris Jirků, Voluntary internship at Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, CZ
2010-2013 Department of Applied Informatics, Olomouc, Czech Republic, Bachelor
2007-2010 Department of Photography, Film and TV School in Prague, Czech Republic, Bachelor of Art
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Chrisantem’s Artworks – “Galeria e Artit Pamor Nikolet Vasia”, Durres, Albania
2020 In the Darkness the Light Borns, Krtiny Castle, Czech Republic
2020 All-Peace Paintings, Brno, Czech Republic
Group Exhibitions
2023 Holotropic ART – 6th wave, Linhartovy castle, Czech Republic. More info at holotropicart.org
2022 Athens Open Art, Art Number 23 Gallery, Athens
2021 Open Art Fest, Prague, Czech Republic
2020 Christmas Art Mix, BC Karametal Office Gallery, Bratislava, SK (Vianočný Art Mix 2020)
2019 15 Heads in Frames, Česká Třebová, Czech Republic
2014 Homines, Theater festival Lathife, Lanskroun, Czech Republic
2007-2010 group exhibitions with Department of Photography, Film and TV School in Prague, Czech Republic
2005 Human, Fotoclub Lanskroun, Czech Republic
2005 AMFO Svitavy, Czech Republic
2003 Fotoclub Lanskroun, Czech Republic