Starting Tuesday, visitors to Jihlava’s Nonstrop open-air art gallery can familiarize themselves with the works of the artist, who uses the pseudonym Toy Box. The illustrator, painter and author of comic books called her exhibition here the question Who watched your children when you had a career. Her works can be seen in Malá Lazebnická alley until the end of July.
The exhibited works are devoted to the care of children and the elderly as well as to ordinary routine activities, which, according to curator Vít Kraus, often do not receive adequate recognition, even though they are essential and necessary for everyone. “The basic technological starting point is large-format street art interventions,” describes the drawings in Mala Lazebnická.
In addition, the artist’s work will be presented at a one-day exhibition in the Jihlava Modeta area, which will take place this Saturday, May 6. “It will present a collection of the author’s painting canvases created on the same theme over the past few years,” adds Kraus.
The name of the exhibition is based on Toy Box’s personal experience, or rather on the comments of those around her evaluating her life. “It has occurred to me several times that no matter how women behave, their life strategy is always open to attack and their position is threatened,” the artist thinks.
“If they have children and stay at home with them, they neglect work and will have trouble returning to it. If they have children and work, they have to accept that they may be labeled as career women and they will be scrutinized whether they care as much and as well as those who are at home. If they don’t have kids at all, they tend to be seen as selfish. No matter what we do, it’s never good,” says Toy Box.
She is a graduate of the Josef Škvorecký Literary Academy in Prague, after which she studied scenography at DAMU. She worked as a journalist, now she works as a freelancer. With her comics, often with social themes, she contributed to many magazines and anthologies. Her 2014 comic novel My Vinnetou Book won the Muriel Award and the Golden Ribbon.
In the last week, the wider public has heard about Toy Box in connection with the controversy surrounding Alena Mornštajnová’s new novel. The artist accused the writer of taking inspiration from her personal story in the prose entitled Les v dům. Specifically, it is supposed to be about the experience of sexual abuse. Mornštajnová rejected the accusation.
The Nonstrop gallery has been operating since 2017 in an alley in the center of Jihlava, focusing on contemporary art. He usually organizes four exhibitions a year. It was created in cooperation with the town hall, the Vysočina Regional Gallery and elementary art schools. It is run by the city through the contribution organization Brána Jihlava. An alley with preserved fragmentary facades of historic houses connects the main Masaryk Square with the area near St. James’s Church. It was closed for several decades. The town hall modified it and opened it 11 years ago.
Video: The mask is protection, my art threatens me, says artist Toy Box
Art is a fire that burns you, comic artist Toy Box said eight years ago on DVtv. | Video: Martin Veselovsky
