Disfiguration PV37 Painting

Artist Statement Ondřej Rypáček approaches painting as an act of transformation—a continuous interplay between control and intuition, structure and improvisation. His work is not about fixed meanings or predetermined outcomes but about navigating the unknown, embracing change, and allowing the process to shape the result. Each painting is a layered record of decisions, where nothing is truly erased, only covered, revealed, or reworked in an organic evolution. Drawing from a foundation in academic drawing and anatomical studies, Rypáček’s practice has moved toward abstraction, yet remnants of structure remain embedded in his compositions. His method is intuitive, yet never arbitrary. He begins with control—establishing forms, gestures, and spatial relationships—before allowing spontaneity to take over, guiding the painting toward its own resolution. The process mirrors the rhythms of music, particularly counterpoint, where independent lines interact, sometimes surfacing, sometimes receding into the whole. Rather than removing or correcting, Rypáček often obscures earlier layers, preserving their presence beneath the surface. The act of covering up is not about negation but about transformation—previous marks remain, influencing the final image even when unseen. At times, he wipes away sections, editing the top layer to let the past re-emerge. This creates a tension between presence and absence, between what is visible and what is hidden, much like the fleeting and layered nature of memory itself. For Rypáček, painting is one of the few spaces where true freedom exists. Unlike life, where choices carry lasting consequences, the canvas offers infinite possibilities for revision and reinvention. Time and materials are the only things at stake, making it a space where risk is not only possible but necessary. The painting is finished when there are no loose ends—when every element exists in balance, and the statement is complete. Yet, even in its final form, the work carries the traces of its own becoming, embodying a philosophy of impermanence, transformation, and the unbearable lightness of being.