Jan Soumar
Painting’s Title: I can feel the grass under my feet
Medium Used: Oil and acrylic on canvas
Studio Based: Prague
Can you tell us about the process of making your work?
I usually start preparing a composition and scene in my head, but I don’t adhere this vision strictly, I adjust things and change them in the process. What I like about it is that the painting can surprise me in the process of creation. That’s what I prefer, instead of just depicting something that I have already seen in a certain way or perfectly imagined. I usually start with the background, which I try not to make too prominent. I usually place the figure in the foreground. Most of the paintings are a combination of acrylic and oil, some parts that I need to dry quickly I do with acrylic and some that I want to make more plastic I do with oil.
How would you define your work in a few words (ideally in 3 words)?
Figure, motion, landscape.
Could you share with us some insights on this ‘I can feel the grass under my feet’, (2023) painting? Is there any particular story behind this new work?
This painting was created at the Vojtěch Kovařík residency in Italy. The painting is a continuation of my previous work, here I process fragments of the human figure, together with dynamic shapes and a certain deformation. It is a balance between concrete and abstract painting. The scene in this painting takes place in the environment where the painting was created; it was in the garden in front of the house. During the process of this painting, I liked how the lower part merged with the grass in the garden, that’s the reason why I named the painting like that.
Based on the fact you were more concentrated in figurative paintings such as ‘Color Field’, ‘Blue Corner Scene’ or ‘Three Graces’, how do you explain your recent fascination on more vague or amorphous body shapes on your canvases which characterise your visual compositions providing a well structured mystery to the viewer?
During the last few years, I have been working with the stylization and deformation of the human figure, gradually I came to a style where the figure is represented only by certain fragments referring to the figure as such, and these are later placed in simple and stylized landscapes. I used to paint more concrete figures, whilst today they are anonymous. I try to what extent a painting can be figurative without the figure being precisely described and defined. I try to depict bodies in motion in my way.
Which are the (roughly) right conditions that lead you to choose the right colour combinations on each painting?
Mostly it’s very intuitive and changeable, as I mentioned before, I like to change the painting during its creation. For me, the color as such should appeal to and interest the viewer. The moment the painting catches the viewer’s attention, he is willing to pay attention to it and explore it further.
Based on recent works of yours either it’s rather abstract or figurative, it seems that there is a consistent fascination on particular elongated body parts such as legs, arms that populate your visual compositions; do this sort of motif has a deeper meaning or interest to you as an artist?
I can appreciate both abstract and realistic painting, that’s why I try to combine both, I like when a painting seems abstract at first impression and spectator can uncover various realistic elements in it. The scenes in my paintings are quite often banal, I am primarily concerned with the movement of the body, which I then place in a stylized landscape or interior, which I try to make cleaner than a figure for better readability. I paint from my head.
Can you mention any artists you, lately or generally, take inspiration from?
Georg Baselitz, David Hockney, Cecily Brown, Michaela Červená.
Which are your plans for the near future?
In the future, I would like to exhibit more abroad and start cooperation with foreign galleries. In the summer of 2024, I will have a solo exhibition in Prague at the Art Capital Gallery. The residency at Vojtěch Kovařík studio was great, I would like to try another residencies.
All images courtesy of the artist