Jiří Kačer

As a student of the stonemasonry school in Hořovice, Jiří Kačer had the opportunity to collaborate on the sculptures of Jan Hendrych, while at the same time the Wagnerian tradition of handling the natural shape of stone was maintained here. At AVU in Prague, Kačer first studied figuration, where he sought inspiration from representatives of modern European sculpture, such as Manzú or Segal. Kačer's next steps under heavy standardization were directed to the Prague Academy, from where in 1977 he transferred to the school of restoration of stone sculptures and sculptural production led by Antonín Nikle.

Kačer's sculptures respect the natural shape, which is usually underlined by geometric lines. It does not happen that his sculptures exceed the dimensions of the human figure. Since 1985, Kačer calls most of his works Fragments.

Fragments carry different meanings in the works. They refer to a piece of stone as a smaller part of the rock that man used to work it. The worked stone itself, as a rule, is something in which you cannot find the beginning or the end, so it is a kind of part of a perfect abstract shape that can be extrapolated in both directions.

A characteristic element of Kačera's sculptural work is the careful treatment of the surface, in which he respects the natural color and structure of the stone and supports its effect.

During the last two decades, Kačer's work with stone has diversified considerably. Thanks to participation in a number of sculpture symposia here and abroad, he had the opportunity to work with many types of stone, which brought a new influence to his work. For example fossils of objects made of wood or reeds. Geometrically precise surfaces and monumental torsos of petrified vessels appear.