Michal Macku (*1963), the renown Czech photographer creates his works using his own photographic technique named Gellage and his discovery of this unique process has cemented his name in the history of contemporary photography. The technique ‘Gellage’ consists of the transfer of exposed and fixed photographic emulsion onto paper. This transparent and plastic material makes it possible to reshape and reform the original images, changing their relationships and endowing them with new meanings during the transfer.

Michal Macku began to make photographs in 1978. He graduated from the Technological Faculty of the Polytechnic Institute in Brno and the Institute of Art Photography, Prague. After working for a number of years in research he taught at the Pedagogical Faculty of Palacky University in Olomouc.

Michal has been working as a full-time artist since 1992. He continues to explore and research the endless possibilities in photography. As he says:-

“I am always seeking new means of expression and, step by step, I am discovering almost unlimited possibilities through my work with loosened gelatin. Photographic pictures mean specific touch with concrete reality for me, one captured level of real time. The technique of Gellage which I am using helps me to take one of these “time sheets” and release a figure, a human body, from it, causing it to depend on time again. Its charm is similar to that of cartoon animation, but it is not a trick. It is very important for me to be aware of the history of a picture and to have a sense of direct contact with its reality. My work places “body pictures” in new situations, new contexts, new realities, causing their “authentic” reality to become relative. I am interested in questions of moral and inner freedom. I do what I feel, and only then do I begin to meditate on what the result is. I am often surprised by the new connections I find in it. Naturally, I start out with a concrete intention, but the result is often very different. And there, I believe, lies a hitch. One creates to communicate what can not be expressed in any other way. Then comes the need to describe, to define.”

This will be the first time that Michal Macku will be showing in Malaysia and Asia.

Michal Macku’s first  exhibition in Malaysia entitiled,  "Michal Macku - Glass (and) Gellages" takes place at Wei-Ling Gallery from 6th April-30th April 2009.

Glass and Objects

  

Untitled - Glass Gellage No. XVII                                              Untitled - Glass Gellage No. IV

Glass & Combined Technique                                                  Glass & Combined Technique

29 cm x 39 cm x 4cm, 2008 (3/12)                                              39 cm x 31 cm x 4cm, 2008 (6/12)

      

Untitled - Glass Gellage No. VIII                      Untitled - Glass Gellage No. X                        Untitled - Glass Gellage No. V

Glass & Combined Technique                         Glass & Combined Technique                        Glass & Combined Technique

31 cm x 39 cm x 4cm, 2008 (5/12)                     40 cm x 30 cm x 4cm, 2007 (1/12)                  30 cm x 38 cm x 4cm, 2008 (5/12)

       

Untitled - Glass Gellage No. II                        Untitled - Glass Gellage No. IX                       Untitled - Glass Gellage No. XIII

Glass & Combined Technique                        Glass & Combined Technique                       Glass & Combined Technique

25 cm x 31 cm x 3cm, 2007 (3/12)                   30 cm x 39 cm x 4cm, 2008 (6/12)                   40 cm x 30 cm x 4cm, 2008 (2/12)

 

  

Untitled - Glass Gellage No. XII                                       Untitled - Glass Gellage No. XIX

Glass & Combined Technique                                         Glass & Combined Technique

29 cm x 29 cm x 4cm, 2008 (1/12)                                    32 cm x 30 cm x 4cm, 2008 (2/12)

 

Untitled - Glass Gellage No. XX                       Untitled - Glass Gellage No. XV

Glass & Combined Technique                         Glass & Combined Technique

37 cm x 30 cm x 4cm, 2008 (2/12)                     27 cm x 38 cm x 4cm, 2008 (2/12)

Gellages

 

Untitled - Gellage No. 36                                                         Untitled - Gellage No. 69

Manipulated Silver Print on Paper                                          Manipulated Silver Print on Paper

66 cm x 79 cm, 2008 (5/12)                                                        66 cm x 79 cm, 2008 (3/12)

  

Untitled - Gellage No. 73                                                         Untitled - Gellage No. 88

Manipulated Silver Print on Paper                                         Manipulated Silver Print on Paper

66 cm x 79 cm, 2008  (6/12)                                                     66 cm x 79 cm, 2008 (5/12)

Carbon Print

 

Untitled - Carbon Print No. 1                                                      Untitled - Carbon Print No. 3

Historical Carbon Print on Paper                                               Historical Carbon Print on Paper

30 cm x 35 cm, 2004 (1/24)                                                         30 cm x 35 cm, 2004 (1/24)

Untitled - Carbon Print No. 38                                                   Untitled - Carbon Print No. 33

Historical Carbon Print on Paper                                             Historical Carbon Print on Paper

30 cm x 35 cm, 2004 (1/24)                                                        30 cm x 35 cm, 2004 (3/24)

  

Untitled - Carbon Print No. 12                                          Untitled - Carbon Print No. 9

Historical Carbon Print on Paper                                     Historical Carbon Print on Paper

30 cm x 35 cm, 2007 (4/24)                                                30 cm x 35 cm, 2007 (6/24)

View hanging/exhibition at the gallery

Read Article(s)

CATCH: "Animated" photos by Dennis Chua

New Straits Times, 20th February 2009

Photo Jelly Art by Andrew Sia

The Star, 12th April 2009

Delicious combination by Lucien De Guise

New Straits Times