Minerals 1964

This is "Minerals," a 1964 print by Czech artist, Jiří John. John lived through a tumultuous period in Czechoslovakia, including Nazi occupation and later, Soviet influence, both of which shaped his artistic vision. Here, a dark, striated form dominates the composition, resembling a geological cross-section or a topographical map. The lines create a sense of depth, drawing us into the unknown center of the earth, or perhaps a map of our own interiority. A geometric form sits at the center. Are we looking at an alien object, or some kind of core, or something that has landed in the layers of sediment? During the 1960s, many Eastern European artists explored abstraction as a form of subtle resistance against the prevailing Socialist Realism. "Minerals" can be understood as a quiet yet powerful expression of personal and artistic freedom during a time of political constraint. It's both a meditation on the earth, and a reflection of the artist's own experiences of time, pressure, and transformation.