Trash 1971

Karel Zelenko made this etching titled "Trash" sometime around 1968, and what a title! The entire surface is absolutely packed with lines, like a vast accumulation of discarded thoughts and objects. It feels like a kind of archeological dig into the mind, and the process of unearthing each tiny component must have been quite meditative. I wonder what Zelenko had in mind while he was making this? Look how the figure in the foreground stands so quietly against this chaotic backdrop. This makes me think of folks like Guston, and his late works, which similarly presented personal imagery which was at once humorous and very melancholic. Ultimately, art is about conversation, and Zelenko's 'Trash' offers a compelling invitation to reflect on what we value, what we discard, and how we find our place amidst the clutter of existence.