Marko Kratohvil

Marko Kratohvil grew up as a sculptor, but his mother pushed him away from the craft because she felt an artist's life was not secure. She knew the artistic path well because Marko's father, Jovan Kratohvil, was a prolific sculptor and professor at the Academy of Art in Belgrade. Marko followed his mother's wishes and studied mechanical engineering, emphasizing thermonuclear reactions at the university. But his desire to create was too strong, so after obtaining his university degree, he attended the Academy of Art in Belgrade to pursue his passion for creating.

Marko recalls traveling by the seaside as a child and seeing a stack of stones that he proclaimed to his parents were beautiful sculptures. For Marko, the particular formation stood out from the other objects even though they were all rocks. His insightful early view of the world around him explained his future approach to his work which diverged from his father's perspective. To Marko, figurative sculptures are a figure, and sculptures are abstract in nature.

Marko feels the concept of space is vital to each piece he creates because space influenced his understanding of his intervention of a given scope. He feels objects shouldn't control an area. Instead, the space should be dominant around the entity, or they should interact in a constant motion. "Co-existence instead of dominance because one without the other does not exist," states Marko. He believes we are often unaware that space is a big part of us. "People often say, 'I'm just a small part.' Small or big is not important. What is important is the relationship between the two," states Marko. His deep understanding of the relationships between objects and the area in which they exist helps him express that everything works together to create the connection between them.

Marko feels that what we observe around us has many levels we constantly try to explain. But he wants people to let go of their need to define everything. His father once stated, "I don't trust artists' explanations, all they can do is try to explain the process, intention, and materials, but it doesn't come close to the essence of what they do."

Marko's journey to becoming a prolific artist like his father illustrates the significance of the creative process. He states, "My DNA and upbringing was the spark for the art, and it's an easy way to explain things, but it's the process. I have to do it." Marko knows it is a struggle and an ongoing emotional roller coaster. He states, "You don't know what you are searching for, but you know it's leading you somewhere." Each of Marko's stunning works brings you closer to how he sees the world and our relationship to it.

To learn more about Marko Kratohvil and purchase his work, please visit the Objets Trouvés website.