Katedrála milencu/The Lovers' Cathedral 1968

Jaroslav Kaiser made this print, Katedrála milencu, or The Lovers' Cathedral, using lithography, but the way he’s layered images and textures makes it feel more like collage. The high contrast black and white gives it a graphic punch, while the aquamarine and olive-green add a touch of unexpected harmony. Look at how the stone shape repeats, creating this whole structure, like some kind of fortress or monument, and within that we see rows of couples. The physical act of layering these different elements builds a visual metaphor for the layers of memory, history, and experience that shape our relationships. I love how the texture of the stone contrasts with the smooth flatness of the colored blocks. It’s almost like Kaiser is playing with different ways of seeing, inviting us to question what’s real and what’s constructed. Thinking of the work of someone like Robert Rauschenberg, art here becomes an ongoing conversation about the nature of perception, memory, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.