Ján Mančuška

Text and film are the main components of Ján Mancuška’s expansive works, whose specific installation often incorporates the architecture and space on site. The specific arrangement of these linguistic or pictorial elements, determined by the artist, creates a very perceptual condition – the effect of the works is conditioned by the movement of the viewer in the space or in relation to the works. The resulting dramaturgy of the objects, the interior and pictorial sentences and their interplay thus results in a very special tension that condenses into fictional, cinematic sequences in the imagination of the viewer.

Biography

Ján Mančuška (born in 1972, Bratislava, died in 2011, Prague) lived and worked in Berlin and Prague.
His works have been presented in diverse solo exhibitions, such as at fjk3 – Contemporary Art Space (Vienna, 2023); Hunt Kastner (Prague, 2020); Centre Vox (Montreal, 2017); Kunsthalle Bratislava (2015); Andrew Kreps Gallery (New York, 2013/2008/2005); Kunsthalle St. Gallen (2006); Czech Centre (with Marketa Othova, New York, 2003) and as part of Gallery Tentprogram (Rotterdam, 2000).

Furthermore, group exhibitions included The Ludwig Museum Budapest (2019); Bundeskunsthalle (Bonn, 2018), New Museum (New York 2015); Institut d’Art Contemporain Vielleurbanne (2013); Museum of Modern Art (New York, 2009); Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2008); ZKM (Karlsruhe, 2007); Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam, 2004). In addition, his work was shown at Prague Biennale (2005), the 28th Biennale of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana and the 51st Venice Biennale.

The artist took part in residency programs at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Neue Galerie Graz, ISCP New York, Residency Rotterdam and has been awarded the Jindřich Chalupecký prize in 2004. Jan Mančuška is represented in domestic and public collections at Museum of Modern Art (New York); Centre Pompidou (Paris) and Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (Vienna).