Milan Kunc
* 1944, Prague
“Milan Kunc’s art forms were the flow of the history of western painting crashes against the steep cliffs of the present. This is where flamboyant whorls and deep insights are fashioned. New myths born of the foam.”
Hubert Winkels
Milan Kunc was born in Prague, Czech Republic. From 1964 to 1967 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. He emigrated to Germany in 1969. From 1970 to 1975 he studied at the Staatliche Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf (Germany) with Prof. Joseph Beuys and Prof. Gerhard Richter. In 1979, he founded “Gruppe Normal” with Jan Knap and Peter Angermann. In 1981 he participated in the legendary Times Square Show in New York. During Kunc’s stay in New York, Pop-Surrealism had a profound impact on him. In 1982 he moved from Düsseldorf to Cologne. He worked throughout 1986 and 1987 in New York and moved to Rome, Italy in 1988. He stayed in Rome and Tuscany until 1991. During his stay in Rome he was inspired by Neoclassicism. In his new, refined paintings he transformed classical Mediterranean metaphysics and lucidity. In 1994 and 1995, he moved to New York and East Hampton in the United States again where he had studios. In 1996 and 1997, he worked on a body of ceramic sculptures in The Hague, Netherlands before moving to Schlosstal in the Eifel, Germany where he spent 2 years. In 2000 Moved back to Cologne. Since 2004, he has lived and worked in Prague, Czech Republic. During last 5 years he visited India where he worked on drawing books. Kunc is called a predecessor of a low-brow movement.
Solo Exhibitions
2021 Za hranicí představivosti, Galerie HYB4 Kampus Hybernská, Prague, Czech Republic
2019 BMW i8 Roadster 4 Elements by Milan Kunc, Výstavní síň Mánes, organized by Cermak Eisenkraft gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
2015 Pop Surrealism - 80’s New York - Köln, Cermak Eisenkraft gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
2014 Global Success. Fondation Speerstra, Apples, Switzerland
2013 Drawings of Milan Kunc 1970–2012, Arkitektvägen 44, Stockholm, Sweden
2012
New sculptures, Andrea Caratsch Gallery, Zürich, Switzerland
Milan Kunc 1979–1989, Zonca&Zonca Arte Contemporanea, Milan, Italy
Gold Paintings, Andrea Caratsch Gallery, St. Moritz, Switzerland
2010
Amor and Psyche. Drawings and Paintings 1976–2009 / Amor a Psyche. Obrazy a kresby 1976–2009, Muzeum of Modern Art / Muzeum moderního umění, Olomouc, Czech Republic;
Kunstverein Weiden, Germany; Galerie U Bílého jednorožce, Klatovy, Czech Republic
2009 Sculpture, Andrea Caratsch Gallery, Zürich, Switzerland
2007
Resting time / Stillstehende Zeit, Kunsthalle Erfurt, Germany
Overturned perspectives of Milan Kunc and Silvia Iorio / Iorio Prospettive ribaltate di Milan Kunc e di Silvia Iorio, Czech Center / Istituto Culturale Ceco, Rome, Italy
On the edge of the enigma / Sul filo dell´enigma, Galleria Maniero, Rome, Italy
Golden Age (Selected works 1968–2007) / Zlatý věk (Výběr z díla 1968–2007), The Brno House of Art / Dům umění města Brna, Brno, Czech Republic
2006
Paintings and drawings / Obrazy a kresby, Galerie Caesar, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Milan Kunc in Amsterdam, Galerie Witteveen, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2005 The drawings collection, Galleria Santa Marta, Milan, Italy
2004
Milan Kunc, Delta Gallery, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Between ready made and Ostalgia. The Milan Kunc painting / Tra ready made e Ostalgia. La pittura di Milan Kunc, Giampiero Biasutti Gallery, Turin, Italy
2003 Embarrassing Realism, L'Ariete Arte Contemporanea, Bologna, Italy
2002 Pastels and drawings, Galleria del Tasso Arte Contemporanea, Bergamo, Italy
2001
Milan Kunc, Galeria d´Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Republica di San Marino, San Marino, Italy
Ceramic, Centro Culturale, Sala Barbolini, Sassuolo, Italy
2000 Milan Kunc, Galleria Sperone, Rome, Italy
1999 Milan Kunc, Galerie OZ, Paris, France
1998-1999 Land of Smiles / 1998–1999 Land des Lächelns. Link, The Contemporary Art Company, Den Haag, Netherlands
1998
Milan Kunc, Studio d´Arte Cannaviello, Milan, Italy
Ceramic. Museum het Princessenhof, Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Glass-works and paintings, Galerie Ferdinand van Dieten-d´Eendt, KunstRai´98, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Drawings, paintings, sculptures / Dibuixos, pintures, escultures, Sio Galeria, Barçelona, Spain
1997 Pictures and sculptures / Bilder und Skulpturen, Patricia Asbæk Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark; Art Cologne, Cologne, Germany
1996
Pictures and ceramic sculptures / Bilder und Keramikskulpturen, Galerie Brochier, Munich, Germany
Milan Kunc, Václav Špála Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
1995
Selected works / Opere scelte, Studio d'Arte Raffaelli, Trento, Italy
Ceramics, drawings and pastels, paintings / Céramiques, dessins et pastels, peintures, Galerie OZ, Paris, France
New Ceramic & Glass, Stelling Gallery, Leiden, Netherlands
1994
Milan Kunc, Neue Galerie, Bad Marienberg, Germany
Drawings / Zeichnungen, Galerie A, Stuttgart, Germany
From painful realism to refined painting (1974-1994) / Van pijnlijk realisme tot verfijnde schilderkunst (1974–1994), Kunsthall, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Portrait drawings / Portrettekeningenm, Swart Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Milan Kunc, Stelling Gallery, Leiden, Netherlands
New Paintings, Gallery LOK, New York, USA
Paintings and Drawings / Pinturas y Dibujos, Galeria Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
1993 Demonstrating New Icons, Documenta-Halle, Kassel, Germany
1992
Italian Pictures 1990/91 / Italienische Bilder 1990/91, Swart Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Milan Kunc, Corridor Gallery, Reykjavik, Island
Milan Kunc, Patricia Asbæk Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Milan Kunc in Tirol, Galleria Goethe Galerie, Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
Embarrassing Realism, East Pop (1974-1978), Refined Painting (1986-1992) / Peinlicher Realismus, Ost-Pop (1974–1978), Verfeinerte Malerei (1986–1992), Letohrádek Belvedér, Prague, Czech Republic; Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, Sweden; Kunsthall Rotterdam, Nederland; Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe, Germany
1991 Fototopop, Tröster & Schlüter Galerie, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
1990
Passpost of all Republics, Galleria Toselli, Milan, Italy
Works 1979-1985 / Opere 1979-1985, Galleria Verlato, Milan, Italy
1989
Photocollages, Robert Miller Gallery, New York, USA
Working with photography / Arbeiten mit Photographie, Galerie PPS, internationale Kunstmesse Forum, Hamburg, Germany
Paintings & Drawings, Edward Totah Gallery, London, United Kingdom
1988
Milan Kunc, Gallería La Máquina Española, Madrid, Spain
Milan Kunc, Le Case d´Arte, Milan, Italy
New Paintings, Robert Miller Gallery, New York, USA
Drawings / Disegni, La Nuova Pesa, Roma, Italy
1987
Collages 1978 and pastels 1987 / Collagen 1978 und Pastelle 1987, Galerie Swart, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Milan Kunc, Le Case d'Arte, Milan, Italy
1986
Works 1974–1986, Pat Hearn Gallery, New York, USA
Milan Kunc, Gallery Hillmann Holland Fine Arts, Atlanta, Georgia, USAPaintings, Swart Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Renaissance exercises / Renaissance Übungen, Monika Sprüth Gallery, Cologne, Germany
1985
New icons / Neue Ikonen, Monika Sprüth Gallery, Cologne, Germany
Romantic Landscapes. Pat Hearn Gallery, New York, USA
Photo works 1978–1986 / Fotoarbeiten 1978–1986, CCD Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
1984
New icons. Works from 1979–1984 / Neue Ikonen. Arbeiten von 1979–1984, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Germany
War pictures 1975-1981 / Kriegsbilder 1975–1981, Düsseldorf City Museum / Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
New icons / Nieuwe Ikonen, Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands
Milan Kunc, Hans-Jürgen Müller Gallery, Cologne, Germany
1983 Pictures / Bilder, Swart Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
1982
Normal Art, Zon Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
Art Normal (Paintings), Ulrike Kantor Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
Pictures and drawings / Bilder und Zeichnungen, Swart Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
1980 Paintings / Schilderijen, Galerie ´T Venster, Rotterdam, Netherlands
1979 Normal world / Normale Welt, Harlekin Art Galerie, Wiesbaden, Germany
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