Man is a Sad Monkey

oil on canvas, 2020, signed on the reverse, 100 × 95 cm

Jaroslav Róna belongs among the most prominent personalities of the contemporary Czech art scene. In his work, the two fundamental artistic disciplines for him, painting and sculpture, are connected into a perfect synthesis. His works often contain irony as well as a peculiar humour and some slightly cynical exaggeration. Via painting, Róna most frequently introduces us to his “inner landscapes”, which are characterised by a dark, ghostly atmosphere. The sculptural work is dominated by figural depictions, both human and animal, often strongly stylised, abstracted in a way heading towards primitiveness. The painting entitled Man is a Sad Monkey reflects the experience of being a human in a funny way, but the motif of imprisonment can even acquire an existential meaning. This is a example of Róna's painting, which relieves the oppressive atmosphere of Kafkaesque absurdity.