LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
ARTS & COLLECTIBLES
BRIDGING WORLDS
Jan Kaláb, a trailblazing artist hailing from Prague, has embarked on a captivating journey to become one of Czechoslovakia’s most notable contemporary artists of our time. From his early days as the graffiti artist “Cakes” in the vibrant underground art scene of post-Communist Prague to his global acclaim in renowned galleries from New York to Shanghai, Jan’s artistic evolution is a testament to his unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries. Continue as we delve into and explore the mind and artistry of a creative visionary who seamlessly blends tradition and innovation, shaping the landscape of contemporary art.
JESSICA HALL
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Artist Jan Kaláb; 2021 Zone of Mystery, Orleans; and 2004 Flaming Point, Palachovo nam Praha.
JH: Can you take us back to your early days in the Prague underground graffiti and street art scene? What inspired you to venture into this form of artistic expression?
JK: The Communist regime fell down in 1989 right after the Berlin wall went down and from there, all the influences from the western world began to appear. First, McDonald’s restaurants opened in Prague and the first writing (graffiti) by German and French tourists appeared throughout the city. I was a young teenager at that time and these mysterious wall paintings attracted me so much. From the first moment I saw them, I knew I had to do it and wanted to learn all about it. My source of information was recorded MTV broadcasts on video tapes. It took a few years until I met the right guys and we established our crew.
The name “Cakes” and your crew, The DSK, are synonymous with the vibrant Prague Street art movement. Could you share a memorable anecdote from those energetic and creative days on the city streets and train yards?
The second half of the 90’s was the golden era of Czech graffiti while the first half it was all new and fresh in society. I remember in 1994 when I painted my first panel on a Prague subway in an outside layup and there was a path next to it. When someone would pass by, one of our crew would whistle, so we wouldn’t get caught and we would hide under the train cars. After we finished that piece, we went to the subway station to take the ride back home and on the way there, a man joined us telling us he saw everything and he was like - “cool guys!” He introduced himself as the subway driver and gave us some tips on where to paint the cars next.
Your artistic journey has evolved significantly, moving from graffiti to 3-D graffiti, light suspended installations, NFTs, paintings, and sculptures. How did this transition unfold, and what drove you to explore these diverse mediums?
The medium and style of my art has always been a reflection of where it is placed and over time, these places changed based on my interests and intentions. When I was teenager, I wanted to paint on all the walls around the world, then this evolved, and I wanted to be able to do graffiti without needing a wall, so I started on 3D graffiti sculpture. From here, next was paintings in gallery spaces, then I went on to digital spaces, and so forth. I feel like with every new perspective, I discover different ways to change my expressions and the work usually evolves by using a technique I haven’t done before. It’s also constant curiosity and exploring.
LEFT TO RIGHT: 2019 Amorfoid, Fibreglass Resin, Concentration Bluerider, Taipei and 2014 Deep Black, Church_str NYC. Photos: Jan Kalab studio
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: 2021 Cosmic Spring, Macadam Gallery, Bruxelles; 2023 Blue Horizon, Bluerider Gallery,
Taipei; 2022 MIRAGE, Castanier Gallery, Miami. Photo: Michael R Lopez; 2023 Blue Horizon, Bluerider gallery, Taipei.
Exhibiting in renowned galleries across the globe—from New York to Shanghai—is an impressive accomplishment. How do you adapt your work to resonate with different cultural audiences while maintaining your artistic integrity?
I’m always trying to change the concepts of new exhibitions to evolve my work and it is, of course, challenging. I don’t think it works if I try to modify my art for different audiences since then, it would be based on my own ideas about them. I believe that my mind has to work universally, so that my art speaks to an international audience worldwide and my focus is on the particular work in that particular space. Any audience can distinguish between bad, good, and great art.
Navigating the transition from physical art to the digital realm with animated NFTs is noteworthy. How do you view the intersection of traditional and digital art in today’s rapidly evolving artistic landscape?
It is fascinating what is possible in the digital world, and all the generative art is so interesting. I believe that augmented reality has a big future, which largely depends on how the technology will evolve since it’s only the beginning. The NFT boom helped to establish a lot of digital artists, who had difficulties to get the respect as regular artists. Ultimately, digital art needs to be plugged in and doesn’t work without electricity. Unlike painting and sculpture, or other traditional mediums that stand on their own without this necessity.
Looking ahead, what creative frontiers do you hope to explore in your artistic journey? Are there any upcoming projects or themes you’re excited to delve into?
We’re currently working on a large lighted piece for the Signal light festival. For me, this is all new and it’s such a great experience to collaborate with light and sound engineers to bring movement to my static sculptures with light and sound.
I would love to have a museum and public space exhibition, where I could show my ideas and work in new perspectives. However, these kinds of things are out of my control, so I’m just waiting for the right moment and opportunity.
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CLOCKWISE: The Perfect Storm, BC gallery, Basel, Switzerland and Pointík, 2023
Exhibiting in renowned galleries across the globe—from New York to Shanghai—is an impressive accomplishment. How do you adapt your work to resonate with different cultural audiences while maintaining your artistic integrity?
I’m always trying to change the concepts of new exhibitions to evolve my work and it is, of course, challenging. I don’t think it works if I try to modify my art for different audiences since then, it would be based on my own ideas about them. I believe that my mind has to work universally, so that my art speaks to an international audience worldwide and my focus is on the particular work in that particular space. Any audience can distinguish between bad, good, and great art.
Navigating the transition from physical art to the digital realm with animated NFTs is noteworthy. How do you view the intersection of traditional and digital art in today’s rapidly evolving artistic landscape?
It is fascinating what is possible in the digital world, and all the generative art is so interesting. I believe that augmented reality has a big future, which largely depends on how the technology will evolve since it’s only the beginning. The NFT boom helped to establish a lot of digital artists, who had difficulties to get the respect as regular artists. Ultimately, digital art needs to be plugged in and doesn’t work without electricity. Unlike painting and sculpture, or other traditional mediums that stand on their own without this necessity.
Looking ahead, what creative frontiers do you hope to explore in your artistic journey? Are there any upcoming projects or themes you’re excited to delve into?
We’re currently working on a large lighted piece for the Signal light festival. For me, this is all new and it’s such a great experience to collaborate with light and sound engineers to bring movement to my static sculptures with light and sound.
I would love to have a museum and public space exhibition, where I could show my ideas and work in new perspectives. However, these kinds of things are out of my control, so I’m just waiting for the right moment and opportunity.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Corner Gradient, 2020; Sky Drop, 2021; Beyond The Atolls, Regina Galley and Warped Sunset, 2021, Danysz Gallery.