Untitled 1978

Stanislav Kolíbal made this untitled drawing with graphite on paper. Kolíbal, born in Czechoslovakia in 1925, lived through some of the most turbulent years in European history and like many artists of his generation, Kolíbal sought to express a sense of order and stability amidst chaos. In this work, the geometric precision contrasts dramatically with the loose, almost chaotic lines above. The block's grounded presence is offset by the insubstantiality of the cloudy base. Made in 1990, a year after the Velvet Revolution, which signaled the end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia, the drawing can be seen as a visual metaphor for the social and political changes taking place at the time. The solid block perhaps represents the old regime, while the shifting lines above symbolize the dynamic forces of change. The historian's role is to uncover these layers of meaning, by delving into the social and political context in which it was created. By consulting historical documents, and engaging with critical theory, we can arrive at a richer understanding of the art's significance.