Set for Osvobozene Divadlo 1929

Jindrich Styrsky made this set design for the Liberated Theatre, and it's all about shadows and light. It's like he's painting with darkness, exploring the process of making a world out of almost nothing. Look at how the light bleeds around the edges of the figure, softening the silhouette. You can almost feel the texture of the light itself, like it's a tangible thing. It reminds me that art-making is about playing with materials, whether it's paint, light, or even absence. The way the shadow stretches and distorts, especially around the hands, creates a sense of drama and mystery. It's as if the figure is caught between worlds, solid and ephemeral all at once. Styrsky reminds me of Man Ray, both artists were interested in surrealism, and how photography could blur the lines between reality and the subconscious, embracing ambiguity and dreaming up new ways of seeing.