Lenka Mertová: Jan Merta – 70% Artist, 30% Tram Driver

This book, marking the sixty-sixth birthday of the painter Jan Merta and published by Galerie Zdeněk Sklenář on the occassion of the eponymous exhibition held between 5 December 2018 and 26 January 2019, has its roots in an interview with the artist and curator. Although never finalised, it inspired the artist's wife, Lenka Mertová. She investigated further, asking questions to which she wanted answers. Mertová conducted interviews with individuals who have different relationships with the art world: a gallery owner; a curator; an art text writer; several art lovers who, however, come from environments far removed from the world of art; a ‘tram driver”, who encounters art only infrequently; Jan Merta's friends; Jan Merta himself; and even with herself. The book has been dedicated to the memory of Oldřich Král, Jan Merta´s great friend who passed away this year.

All of the interviews are accompanied by reproductions of Merta's works and various documentary photographs.

This publication is a new volume added to the previously published portraits/interviews, specifically the books produced in collaboration with Karel Malich (Arriving from Elsewhere), and René Roubíček (Glass Will Not Wait: A Portrait of the Jazz Glass-Maker).