Tomáš Hřivnáč was born on November 1, 1959, in Prague. He studied at Secondary School of Applied Art in Prague (1975-1979). Since 1999 has been a member of the ‘Association of Czech Graphic Artists Hollar‘. Tomáš Hřivnáč in mainly interested in free graphic, most often dry point or aquarelle techniques. His world is the world of a woman and the poetic surrounding and forming her. Graphic lists of his are a record of moments where flash/light of an event, situation and gestures are pictured. Even the names of his artwork show the immediacy and torsoity of the situations (For the Last Time, To Jink, Sideways, Except/Askew, etc.). His graphic work move to abstract where he leaves even the face and concrete personality to save only a line, shape and a certain thrill.
Tomáš Hřivnáč is a member of the following clubs and associations: Klub konkretistů, Profil, Parabola, Asociace volné grafiky (1993-1999), SČUG Hollar (since 1999), SCA (2003).
The Velvet Line Master
Tomáš Hřivnáč has been a co-part of arts for a long time and has moved in that field fairly self-confidently. His artistic radius is not only fine art oriented, but at the same time he is a bongo and other percussion instruments player. That dynamic and rhythmical music with additional ethnic elements, which he has been fond of, finds the contrast in aquarelle painting, and, even more often, in graphic arts.
Mystical, a little magical lines engraved in copper desks/plates get together at a certain moment and suddenly find the final shape, the shape of a woman body. That sudden coincidence is being used on purpose, supported by years of diligent and careful hard work. The earthy colourfullness and velvet appearance of the list breaks the realistic base of the pictured object and enriches it with mystery, secret, beauty, spirit, provocativeness, submissitivity – all the effects that only a woman can cause by a simple eye wink. Hřivnáč´s graphic works cause no conflict and provide the right effect the author himself expects of them: not the discussed and problematic controverse artwork throwing lightnings, but on the other hand, fresh and pleasant emotions which ask for a gentle caress. The author accepts a woman as an ancient mother bringing new life as well as a seductive lover and an understanding friend. And such an archetypal conflict clearly gets out of his graphic work and supplies them with a powerful energy hidden/dimmed by a magical shadow. His artwork is technically perfect, so there is no need of any additional pandering tinsel.
In his virtuous graphic lists the author sees the priority in symbolism, blink of the moment, shady torsoity of the time passing by – that is the reason why he most often uses the dry point technique, a part of deep print category similar to engraving. With the help of a sharp needle the author engraves the chosen motif right into the metal desk/plate. On the sides of the lines the engraved metal slightly gets up and is not removed as it helps the specific appearance of the final print.
His Venuses are pictured with a conducted body line, with a less emphatized face: „The emotional tension is definitely expressed by the figure, very clearly and without any simulation – it often works differently in the face“. His elegant, tasteful nudes do not cause anger even from the biggest purists as they are accepted neither erotically nor maternally, but naturaly and supernally. At the moment of leaving the last concrete point his graphic works move to gentle abstractness and only some stray lines remain bringing the unique meaning and finishing the shaping, action or emotion.
Graphic artist and a brilliant drawer Tomáš Hřivnáč has become one of the most distinct personalities of his specialization. He accepts the motifs, which approach him suddenly, with humility and humbleness and transforms them into sensitive poetic. The ability to present deep artistic and human experience with the help of visual influence of a simple form, simple line, is very effective.
All Hřivnáč´s work is filled with the feeling of optimism and security, with no existencional tension. The author sees the way out of unsafety in new thoughts, in positive views – so his organic style gets supertemporal.
Jindřiška Kodíčková
2008
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