Monika Martykánová

Monika Martykánová (*1994) studied at the Ceramics and Porcelain Studio at UMPRUM under the guidance of Maxim Velčovský and Milan Pekař. In her work, she has long focused on porcelain sculpture as well as the revitalization and updating of the traditional field of small-scale figurative porcelain sculpture. Her figurines relate to everyday moments and wittily comment on our daily lives. These precisely crafted objects reflect social themes in an accessible way, touching on experiences that many of us share. Whether it’s practicing yoga, walking the dog, getting a haircut, food delivery, or caring for children and the household, we always encounter depictions of familiar situations with which it is very easy to identify or relate to. At the same time, the individual themes serve as a playful allusion to historicizing figurative sculptures, hunting motifs, or abstracted animal motifs, which still dominate the field but fail to reflect contemporary lifestyles, the pace of life, or the problems and situations we face.

All sculptures are produced in limited editions only, unlike in traditional workshops.

Monika Martykánová received the Czech Grand Design award in the Discovery of the Year category in 2021. Her works were part of the Terra Alba exhibition at the Moravian Gallery and the traveling exhibition Made by Fire. Her works are part of collections including those of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague and the City of Prague Museum.