Lot 164

Zbyněk Sekal (1923 - 1998) THIS WAY OR ANOTHER

Zbyněk Sekal was one of the leading figures of the modernist generation of the 1960s. However, he did not identify with any movement, group, or trend; in this regard, his decision to abandon painting and devote himself to sculpture was also pivotal. His composite works straddle both concepts: Sekal works in a painterly manner, arranging individual elements aesthetically, yet within a three-dimensional space using the medium of sculpture. Although he perceived his work as non-linear and noted that he was approaching “the center of the labyrinth” in a spiral fashion, the 1960s saw a higher degree of organization in his wooden elements, which are harmoniously arranged into rhythmic compositions. In the late 1960s, Sekal exhibited in his homeland for the last time and then emigrated to West Berlin; a little later, he settled in Vienna, where he remained permanently.