Toyen is one of the most original and best-known twentieth-century Czech artists; she also rose to fame in her own lifetime in France, which became her permanent home in 1947. All over the world her distinct oeuvre and fresh attitudes have been attracting ever-growing interest both in her and her work, yet opportunities to see it in its entirety have been scarce.
This international project seeks to present her oeuvre to European audiences as fully as possible with three exhibitions and a detailed catalogue published in four different language versions.The first stage is set to take place in Prague’s Waldstein Riding School. The exhibition will be conceived chronologically and divided into time-specific parts to mirror key periods of Toyen’s career. It will likewise highlight Toyen’s recurring signature themes such as eroticism and alchemy. It will also showcase her extensive work in illustration in addition to her paintings and drawings. Importance will also be given to Toyen’s crucial collaborations with her friends from the Prague and Paris Surrealist groups – painters and poets such as Jindřich Štyrský, Jindřich Heisler, André Breton, Benjamin Péret, Radovan Ivsic, and Annie Le Brun.
The artworks will be loaned from Czech and European museums and private collections.
