Lenka Falušiová - I Met Myself in the Forest

A life surrounded by nature has brought a central theme into Lenka Falušiová’s work: the deep forest. This way of living and perceiving the world also allows her to repeatedly encounter animals. Her artworks are not inspired by any one particular place, but rather form a collection of memories. These memories combine into new compositions that evoke a unique forest environment. Sometimes, several characteristic places merge – a mythical forest, a melancholic landscape, or a dreamscape. All of these indistinct spaces share a common atmosphere of silence, which is a crucial part of the artist’s creative expression. The forest becomes a space that sparks the imagination, prompting Lenka to various associations. In the tangled details of branches, she sees metaphors for the complexity of the human brain. When the branches tremble, their shadows reveal phantoms.

The exhibition I Met Myself in the Forest presents a cycle of the artist’s most recent works in a variety of formats and across three primary techniques: large-format ink drawings, and intaglio prints – specifically mezzotint and line etching. In her studio, she transforms memories or feelings from her experiences in nature directly onto canvas or a printing plate. For Lenka, graphic art is an intimate act, one that requires precision from the very start (such as plate preparation or working with the uniquely scented inks). The creative process keeps her in constant tension. The printing itself is the most vital moment, as it allows her to directly intervene – to alter the image on the plate, to touch it, and to experiment. In the context of her recent focus on large-format works, printmaking functions as a kind of personal diary and a vital companion to her monumental drawings.

Authenticity, intuition, and precision are all hallmarks of her practice. Combined with a persistent drive to uncover hidden stories, these qualities result in a distinct visual narrative that reveals her deep relationship with nature and with the creatures for whom the forest is home. The exhibition project I Met Myself in the Forest encourages visitors to consider what they might experience if they find the courage to consciously become part of nature. All it takes is the willingness to explore stories of both outer and inner – mental – landscapes.

Lenka Falušiová (*1988) is a draughtswoman and printmaker. In 2017, she graduated from the Graphic Art I studio (under Prof. Jiří Lindovský) at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. She is the recipient of several domestic and international awards, including Grafika roku, Mini Print in Cadaqués, and the Art Prague Young Award. In 2023 and 2024, she was nominated for the Vladimír Boudník Award. She participates in international exhibitions and biennials (such as Biectr 13 in Canada, the Taiwan International Print Biennial, and Printed Voices Czechia in the USA). Her solo exhibitions include shows at the Prague House in Brussels, the Slovácké Museum Gallery, Caesar Gallery in Olomouc, Contemporary Czech Art in Šumperk, and the printmaking cabinet at 8smička in Humpolec. She also exhibits in group shows (e.g., North Bohemian Gallery in Litoměřice, Automatic Mills in Pardubice, the Olomouc Museum of Art, and DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague). Her work is included in collections such as the National Museum of Fine Arts R.O.C. in Taiwan, the National Library of Catalonia in Barcelona, the Central Bohemian Region Gallery in Kutná Hora (GASK), the Gočár Gallery in Pardubice, the Prague Municipal Library, and others.

Kurátorka výstavy: Alžběta Krajčíková