New Formations

Houston collectors Mary and Roy Cullen visited Czechoslovakia just after the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and became captivated by Czech art. They began collecting 20th-century modernist and avant-garde works in a variety of media, including paintings, photography, collages, drawings, artists' books, and glass. This generously illustrated catalogue is the first to detail their extensive collection. An interview with the Cullens traces the evolution of their collection, and noted Czech scholars Karel Srp and Lenka Bydzovska delve into their indepth holdings of landmark journals and artists' books, which include works by prominent artists such as Toyen, Josef Sima, Karel Teige, and Jindrich Styrsky. This publication presents original texts by artists and writers of the period, many of which have been translated into English for the first time. Another focus of the book is the tradition of Czech glass art and its technical and artistic innovations, described in detail by glass expert Jan Mergl. "New Formations" brings these various facets of Czech artistic output together to demonstrate the rich contributions of Czech artists in the 20th century.