Albertina : Identities

For the second time, Kehrer Verlag publishes a volume on the remarkable work of the exceptional artist Jitka Hanzlova. On the occasion of the Albertina exhibition, this book offers a comprehensive overview of ten of her most important series from 1990 to the present, including previously unpublished works. In her work, Jitka Hanzlova explores the complex relationship between people and their environment, between identity and place. Shaped by the formative experience of exile, Hanzlova raises universal questions about belonging. In her first series Rokytnik (1990-1994), created after her return to her Czech hometown, she reflects on the transformation of rural community life caught between a socialist past and a democratic future. Later, in the series Bewohner (1994-1996) and Hier (1998, 2003-2010), she conveys the sense of isolation and alienation of people in European metropolises, often in contrast to nature. Her portrait series Female (1997-2000) brings out the indivi duality of women she encountered by chance in mostly urban settings. In the newly published series Bohdanka (2004-2025) she turns to ecological themes and presents alternative ways of life in harmony with nature. Set once again in Rokytnik, the series reconnects with her artistic beginnings. Hanzlova''s work not only provides a fascinating retrospective of the past, but also offers compelling perspectives for the future.