A pure symbiosis “PERFECT STORM” by Fridriks and Kaláb flourishes with beautiful art and personal endeavors

Venturing into unknown territory, artists Katrin Fridriks and Jan Kaláb took a chance on one another to collaborate their work together in “PERFECT STORM” presented by BC Gallery and now showing in the group show, Personal Structures, hosted by ECC in the Venice Art Biennale. The pieces are absolutely stunning and mesmerizing, and throughout the experience both artists learned to let go and completely trust each other. Their different styles were a heavenly match and here we had the chance to speak with both of them about their artistic styles and “PERFECT STORM”. 

Katrin, your abstract paintings explore themes of speed, gravity, and the interaction between humans and nature. How do you translate these concepts into visual representations, and what role does spontaneity play in your creative process?

I love to create installations where you have people interacting with my artworks through various concepts. In 2013-14 with my team, we re-created a massive giant Loupe which was installed in front of a big painting of 280 x 180 cm exhibited at Circle Culture, Berlin, curated by Johann von Haeling. By approaching, seeing through the glass and visiting the artwork, you were guided by micro cosmic and macroscopic details which occur in the forces of nature. Each visitor sees something different, traveling endless new discoveries depending on where you stand in the space and or how far you are from the installation. It’s definitely unexpected and it has a huge role in my work as it consists very much of the spontaneous and hazardous – it’s always a surprise.

The collaboration with Jan Kaláb resulted in a fusion of your splash paintings with his geometrical compositions, creating hypnotic and intriguing artworks. How did this collaboration with Jan differ from your previous artistic partnerships, and what did you learn from the experience?

It’s actually a first on this scale, where a balance of exchange, collaboration of artworks are presented, and a very surprising fusion. It’s important to value each artist’s space, and allow each to freely create with no limits. We share, we also express our differences, explore, and present the best outcome, this experience was fantastic.

“PERFECT STORM” has brought your artwork to Venice as part of the Personal Structures – Beyond Boundaries exhibition. How do you feel your work contributes to the theme of transcending ideological, political, and geographical barriers, as explored by the exhibition.

Apart from Fridriks x Kalab collaboration with extreme’s coming together and two different cultures, I definitely did not work specifically around these themes : transcending ideology, political and geographical barriers, though we were invited to participate.

Jan, your journey as an artist has evolved from graffiti and street art to encompass paintings, sculptures, and 3-D graffiti. How does your background in street art influence your approach to more traditional artistic mediums, such as canvas paintings?

My roots in graffiti and street art have deeply influenced my approach to more traditional mediums like canvas paintings and sculptures. Coming from a street art background, I bring a sense of bold colors, scale, and public engagement to my studio works. This background encourages me to think about art as an interactive experience, something that can engage viewers directly and vividly. This influence is evident in how I approach the texture, layering, and spatial dynamics in my canvas paintings, where I often incorporate elements of depth and motion that echo my street art.

The collaboration between you and Katrin Fridriks has resulted in mesmerizing artworks that blend your geometrical canvases with her spontaneous splash paintings. Can you elaborate on the challenges and rewards of collaborating with another artist, especially one with a distinct artistic style like Katrin’s?

Collaborating with Katrin Fridriks was both challenging and rewarding due to our distinct artistic styles. The challenge primarily lay in merging her spontaneous, fluid splash techniques with my structured geometric forms without losing the essence of our individual styles. The rewards, however, were profound. It pushed us to explore new methods, adapt to each other’s processes, and ultimately, it led to the creation of something neither of us could have achieved alone. This experience expanded my artistic vocabulary and opened up new avenues for expression.

“PERFECT STORM” marks a significant collaboration between you and Katrin, where you both pushed the boundaries of your individual styles. What aspects of this collaboration challenged you the most, and how do you feel it has impacted your artistic practice moving forward?

The “PERFECT STORM” collaboration was a significant evolution in my artistic journey, challenging me to integrate Katrin’s dynamic splashes with my geometric precision. The most challenging aspect was ensuring that our styles complemented rather than overwhelmed each other, maintaining a balance that respected both our artistic integrities. This experience has greatly impacted my practice by encouraging a more fluid integration of spontaneity into my structured works, pushing me to explore beyond my usual boundaries and consider more collaborative opportunities in the future.