Slovak Embassy – 12 OCTOBER 2005

— 10/13/2005

“Artistic vision” is the tool of Pracko, who colorfully abstracts symbols, and colors of allegorical stories (myths) of the past, and of events of the present which may become mythical, such as in the “Prince of Tides” representing the tsunami of 2004.The paintings of acrylic, or acrylic with oil pastel, speak to the role of the artist and of the myth in cultures, with the artist being the one who creates, presents, and carries the myth throughout history.

“But we have a tradition that comes from the first millennium B.C. somewhere else, and we’re handling that. It has not turned over and assimilated the qualities of our culture, and the new things that are possible, and the new
vision of the universe. It must be kept alive. The only people that can keep it alive are artists of one kind or another.” “Artists?” “That artist is- his function is the mythologization of the environment and the world”. (Joseph Campbell- The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers)

Amid the colorful paintings are a medium sized black and white gouche painting and five smaller black and whites which evoke the primitive cave paintings of the goddess, the sacred feminine, a subject of interest to Pracko as he travels from archaeological site to site on the globe.

“The young artists from the Academy of Arts in Bratislava show exceptional promise both in technique, practice, and philosophy in bringing current Slovak fine art into the world, and I would hope they receive the support they rightfully deserve”, speaks Pracko of the new generation of fine artists in Slovakia.

“VISIONS AND MYTHS” will be available for viewing until November 30th 2005 in the Koloman Sokol Gallery at the Slovak Embassy.

Pracko, whose father’s Slovak family emigrated to the US in 1918, lives both in Bratislava, and in Denver, Colorado, exhibits his works in Denver, Colorado at the Sandra Philips gallery, and in Bratislava at the International Salon in the Crown Plaza hotel. His works may be found at www.pracko.com