Ondřej Brody

Finalista Ceny Jindřicha Chalupeckého 2008

“Ondřej Brody creates surprisingly gentle and sensitive videofilms, but also provocatively staged actions and installations. Most of his art confronts social taboos. He works with openly displayed sexuality, almost to the point of repulsion, and with other realities of life. His works contain humor regarding the base elements of life and of art itself. Let us not be afraid to feel embarrassed or have restless dreams in response to these works. Let us not observe them with the eyes of voyeurs or art connoisseurs, but allow ourselves to be exposed to their direct impact.” (Jury statement)

Ondřej Brody (born 1980) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and completed internships at the Universität der Künste in Berlin and the Escuela Superior de Arte in Havana. The main characteristics of his work include deliberate provocation, confrontation with institutions, society and individuals, and an overall controversial nature. These elements are expressed in performances and other events which often involve other actors, many of them from non-artistic backgrounds. In this context, he deals with the subject of manipulation and its manifestations, especially in the question of the value of the artwork and the audience in general. His actions are often focused on the interpersonal relationships among the members of the Czech art scene. He has collaborated with the Finnish artist Kristofer Pateau on many projects. Brody is the recipient of the Vienna Essl Award and the Kunstpreis Balmoral 03 in 2010. He has presented his works in solo exhibitions in New York, Berlin, Rio de Janeiro and London, among other places. In 2012, he and the artist Evžen Šimera co-founded the Scholastika Higher Vocational School of Visual Communication.