Jiri Kovanda

XXX...I walk along carefully, very carefully, as if I were on ice that might crack at any moment. 1977 Paris

Kovanda's 'discreet' actions (leaving a discussion in a rush, bumping into passers-by in the street, making a pile of rubbish and scattering it, looking at the sun until tears come…) are always documented according to the same format: a piece of...

XXX...I had arranged to meet some friends at 7:40pm. I decided I would arrived at the agreed spot 10 minutes early…", November 30, 1977 1977 Paris

All Kovanda's artistic practice poses the question of visibility. Having worked on actions and performance, the artist decided to 'disappear' from his artworks during twenty years; in 2007, his performance Kissing through glass in the...

"White String at Home", November, 19-26, 1979, Prague 1979 Paris

This ephemeral installation by Jirí Kovanda, documented in the same way as his performances with a photograph and a text, belongs to a body of works that took place in his apartment/studio. During an interview with Hans Ulrich Obrist, the artist...

Two Little White Piles, Autumn 1980, Karluv Most, Manesuv Most, Prague, 1980 1980 Paris

Kovanda's street interventions are always documented according to the same format as the actions: a piece of A4 paper, a typewritten text giving a precise location and date, and a photograph. Contrarily to the actions, he took the photographs...

Wedges in the Pavements, Autumn 1980, Alsovo nabrezi, Prague. 1980 Paris

Kovanda's street interventions are always documented according to the same format as the actions: a piece of A4 paper, a typewritten text giving a precise location and date, and a photograph. Contrarily to the actions, he took the photographs...

One Small Box filled with dried Red Rhododendron Blossoms, The other small Box filled with dried White Rododendron Blossoms. Spring, summer 1981, Vinohrady, Prague 1980 Paris

Kovanda's street interventions are always documented according to the same format as the actions: a piece of A4 paper, a typewritten text giving a precise location and date, and a photograph. Contrarily to the actions, he took the photographs...

Untitled 1992 Paris

Untitled (1992) responds to the same principles of an economy of means as the artist's actions and installations: three empty cardboard boxes which have contained photographic film are piled one on top of the other. Nevertheless there is...

Jiri Kovanda was born in 1953 in Prague, Czech Republic. He lives and works in Prague.