Pavel Mrkus is an audiovisual artist who works in the field of digital moving images and sounds often concerning specific spaces. He graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. His later study of Religious Studies at Charles University in Prague together with his four years of teaching position at Toyama City Institute of Glass Art in Japan led him to a unique mixture of cultural paradigms within his work. After showing at the 50th Venice Biennial in 2003 he participated in many group and solo shows internationally. He was awarded Personality of the Year 2012 for his digital media-based exhibition Next Planet in The Brno House of Arts. Together with visual artist Daniel Hanzlík, they established a Time-Based Media studio at the Faculty of Art and Design at J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. Between the years 2015 – 2023, he served as a dean of the Faculty of Art and Design. Besides his fine art projects in digital and media art, he is also active as an architect and designer of permanent and temporal exhibitions for museums and galleries. Since 2023 he has been active as a head curator of the Signal Festival in Prague.
1998–2000
Faculty of Theology, Charles University, Prague
1991
Polytechnic University, Stoke on Trent, England
1989–1995
Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design, Prague
Dawn. Fine Art Gallery, Hodonín
Another Place. Schafhof - Europaisches Kunstlerhaus Freising
Science Friction. Gallery Jelení, Prague
Observatory. Gallery Caesar, Olomouc
Seeing Time. GASK, Kutná Hora (with Daniel Hanzlík)
Survival Rules. Zona Gallery, Szczecin (with Daniel Hanzlík)
Fading Codes. Schemnitz Gallery, Banská Štiavnica (with Tomáš Rafa)
Transformator. The New Stage, National Theatre, Prague
R.E.D. Museum of Modern Art, Olomouc
Processor. Gallery Alfa, Košice
Another Time, Modern Art Gallery, Roudnice nad Labem
Radiolaria, Emil Filla Gallery, Ústí nad Labem
Great Render. Die Aktualität des Schönen..., Liberec
Next Planet. Pori Art Museum, Pori
Next Planet. House of Art, Brno
Space Walk. Galleria Contemporaneo, Mestre/Venice
Water Tales. Gallery Jelení, Prague
Iris. Büro für Kunst, Dresden
F. A. Q., Kunsthalle Dresden (with Daniel Hanzlík)
Space Walk, House of Art, České Budějovice
Seagull. Büro für Kunst, Dresden
Scanner. Kunstverein Viernheim
Shift. Gallery Jan Koniarek, Synagoga Trnava (with Daniel Hanzlík)
A Prayer of PW20/LW. Kunstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf
KotoPlay. Chromosome, Gallery for International Media Art, Berlin
Patterns. Daimaru Dept. Store, Osaka
Stray Currents. Mau Fine Art Gallery, Toyama (+ J. Hongo)
Fragmented. Gallery BAU, Toyama
A Prayer off. Büro für Kunst, Dresden
In Between. Gallery Enomoto, Osaka
Es fiel ein Reif. Atrium, Moravian Gallery, Brno
Unreacheable. Gallery by the White Unicorn, Klatovy
Art Taipei – Variety of Stories. Taipei
HK Walls. Hong Kong
Re-composing history with impression. Art Space 1999, Fu Tak Building, Hong Kong
Planet ID: vzpomínky na Zemi. Modern Art Gallery, Roudnice nad Labem
Open Horizon. Image–Space–Landscape. Galerie Františka Drtikola, Příbram
Myšlení obrazem. Prague City Gallery, Prague
Hérakleitův princip. Modern Art Gallery, Roudnice nad Labem
Obrazy nad čísly. Konkrétní digitální a počítačová grafika. Museum of Photography, Jindřichův Hradec
Liberec Art Week. The North Bohemian Museum in Liberec
Volume – acoustic dimension in contemporary art. EPO 1 Trutnov
Power of Lace. Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
Ráj je vždy jen věcí volby. Oblastní galerie Vysočiny, Jihlava
Cache. Gallery Rudolfinum, Prague
Plan B. Smetanova výtvarná Litomyšl
...a ptáci opět zpívají. Emil Filla Gallery, Ústí nad Labem
Krajina 0. Kvalitář Gallery, Prague
Inhabitated. House of Art, Ústí nad Labem
Lungomare. European City of Culture, Rijeka, Croatia
Sounds, Codes, Images. Prague City Gallery, Prague
Boudník. Moravian Gallery, Brno
Kosmos. Gallery U bílého jednorožce, Klatovy
Minimal Difference. Kvalitář Gallery, Prague
Mo(nu)mental Topography. Ústi nad Labem
Energy of first Line. Gallery of Modern Art Hradec Králové
Inner Image. Appearing/Dissapearing Images. Galeria Arsenal Bialystok and
Signal Festival. Prague
Interiors of the Soul. Western Bohemian Gallery Plzeň
Space. Gallery NOD, Prague
Frontiers of Solitude. Gallery Školská 28, Prague
Skaftfell Art Center. Seydisfjordur, Island
Epiphany. House of Art Usti nad Labem
Arte Laguna Prize. Telecom Italia Future Centre, Arsenale, Venezia
Exakta. Galerie NoD, Prague
Jak nic nechtít? Festival 4+4 Days in Motion. Prague
3x2 pro klášter. Broumov Monastery, Broumov
Ze středu ven. Umění regionů 1985–2010. Kunsthalle/Hala umenia Košice
Breaking out of Dilemma. Rotor Centre for Contemporary Art, Graz
Awaking Dragon. National Gallery, Prague
Rekurze 1.618. Liberec Regional Gallery, Liberec
Problem is Here. 4+4 dny v pohybu, Prague
Social Design. Emil Filla Gallery, Ústí nad Labem
Doteky hudby / Touches of Music. North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts, Litoměřice
Fußnoten zum Aufbruch. Motorenhalle, Dresden
Geometrův zlý sen. Topičův salon, Prague
CAMP 12. International Festival for Visual Music, Württenbergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart
Play Well. Czech Center, New York
Sinnesrausch. OK Offenes Kulturhaus Linz
Future, Landscape. Parco del Contemporaneo, Venice
Generator. Emil Filla Gallery, Ústí nad Labem
Edge Park. Forte Marghera, Venice
Parallel History. North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts, Litoměřice
Rhytmic Exercises. BWA Sokol, Nowy Sacz
Scheinbar Sein, Faktisches und Virtuelles. Altana Gallery, Dresden
Formate der Transformation 89–09. Museum auf Abruf – MUSA, Vienna
Play. Mánes, Prague
One Day You Will Lose It All. 4+4 dny v pohybu, ULUV, Prague
Fertile Ground. Museum of Glass, Tacoma
A Part of No-Part. Chelsea Art Museum, New York
Moving Artist. Motorenhalle, Dresden
Labyrint světla. Ecotechnical Muzeum, Prague
Place in Heart. Emil Filla Gallery, Ústí nad Labem
Hell of Things. Galerie Kronika, Bytom
Once is Nothing. Brussels Biennial, Brussels
Obraz, komunikace, styl, funkce, koncept. Veletržní palác, National Gallery, Prague
Spiknutí. Emil Filla Gallery, Ústí nad Labem
Place In Heart,. Galeria Arsenal, Bialystok
Be A Happy Worker: Work-To-Rule! Galerija Miroslav Kraljevic, Zagreb
Close Encounters. Fine Arts Center Galleries, University of Rhode Island, Kingston,
New Video Art from Central Europe, RISD Museum, Providence
New Mystics. Sala de Arte Contemporaneo, Tenerife, Canarias
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. Niigata, Art Front Gallery, Tokyo
Modern Time Work, Machineries and Automation in the Arts of 1900. Palazzo Ducale, Genova
Frisbee. Contemporary Czech Video and Media Art, House of Art, Brno
The Destiny of Paradise is in its Geometry. Kunstverein KISS, Untergroningen
ArteFiera Bologna
Arco Madrid
Helden Heute. Centre PasquArt, Biel Bienne
Roboter. Opelvillen Rüsselsheim
Der Rote Teppich. Kunstverein KISS, Untergroningen
Captured in Light and Space. EXPO 2005, Shimin Plaza Gallery, Toyama
Vladimir Kopecky and his Sphere. Chappell Gallery, New York
Sputniza. Kunsthaus, Dresden
Loop 04. Videoart Festival, Barcelona
Frisbee: Contemporary Czech Video Art. MNAC, Bucurest
Paralel Projections. House of Art, Opava
Individual Systems. Museo Archeologico, Potenza
Art Brussels
The International Exhibition of Glass. Kanazawa
Hot Destination/Marginal Destiny. House of Art, Brno
Video Programm of BDV Paris. Georges, Centre Pompidou, Paris
La Biennale di Venezia, Individual Systems. Arsenale, Venice
Mission Possible. 1st Prague Biennale, National Gallery, Prague
Another Movement. Kanazawa
Glass Works 2003. Art Gallery Shimin Plaza, Toyama
Vessels. Koganezaki Crystal Park, Koganezaki
IV. Biennial of Young Artists. Gallery of Prague City
Monochromy in Czech Art of the 90ties. Czech Museum of Fine Art, Prague
Walking. Gallery Skuc, Ljubljana
Japan Contemporary Glass Exhibition. Notojima
KK. House of Art, Opava
Melancholy. Moravian Gallery, Brno
Unclear Evidence. House of Art, České Budějovice
2nd Zlin Show of Young Artists. State Gallery, Zlín
Via 2000. Gallery Via Art, Prague
Art for Hospital. V. Spala Gallery, Prague
K nebi. Gallery Stemberk, Šternberk
KK. Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava
L`arte contemporana Ceca. Palazzo Coen, Salo
Laboratory. Gallery Sypka, Vlkov u Brna
GASK, The Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region
Prague City Gallery
Museum of Decorative Arts Prague
NSU, Foundation for Contemporary Arts Prague
The North Bohemian Museum in Liberec
Anita Beckers Gallery Frankfurt
Toyama City Collection
Glass Museum Notojima
Crystal Park Koganezaki
Other private collections
Where Have All the Flowers Gone. Exhibition design for Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
All Kinds of Colors. Video for LED wall, Hong Kong Design Institute, Hong Kong
Through the Labyrinth. New permanent exhibition. Architectural exhibition design, GASK Gallery of Central Bohemian Region in Kutna Hora (with Daniel Hanzlík)
The Power of Lace/ Lace–Art–Garment 1950–2020. Exhibition design for Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
Mad Silkman. Zika and Lida Ascher: textile and fashion. Exhibition design and videos for Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
Vně a uvnitř. Exhibition design and videos for Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague
Indikátor. Permanent data video installation for Czech Statistical Office, Prague
Exposition of Astronomy. 12 videos for the National Technical Museum, Prague
Neuron. Light object for Faculty of Art and Design at J. E. Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem
Czech Center, Brussels
International Glass Symposium. Crystalex Novy Bor
Near The Beginning. Center For Metamedia, Plasy
Künstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf
Osobnost roku 2012 / Personality of the Year 2012, Art and Antiques, Prague
Honorable Mention, Vessels, Koganezaki
Silver Prize, Japan Contemporary Glass Art, Glass Museum, Notojima
Honorable Mention, Contemporary Glass Triennial, Toyama
Time-Based Media Studio at Faculty of Art and Design at J. E. Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem
Artcrossing: Art (in) Motion, Developing art-educational program for National Gallery Prague
Faculty in Glass and Digital Media depts. at Rhode Island School of Design, Providence
Teaching Assistant at Studio of Digital Media at Liberec University of Technology
Visiting Associate Professor at Toyama City Institute of Glass Art, Toyama
Teaching Assistant in Glass Studio at Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, CZE