The Pencil of Nature

Cycle Hand:Work (1975 – 2010) is originating from two different periods of Branko Lenarts artistic career and it is a testimony of an exceptionally important, central and broad "work in progress" series produced in two separated stages; the first from mid-1970s at the completion of his educational sciences studies, whilst the second refers to his post-2002 activity when the concept of artists outright presence in the artwork gained fresh impetus through new ideas.

The broad Hand:Work (1975 - 2010) series represents a special line of artistic endeavour which – rather than frequently expressed documentary and feature photography – addresses the conceptualist manner of questioning the basic postulates of art as an integral part of life. In such a way, Branko Lenart enters the research of the artwork nature, the semantic characteristics of the language and direct reference to the breakthrough phenomena in the contemporary history of art.

In extensive and substantively different series, marked in particular by the formal use of photographic language, the artist places his body within the vision field of photograph and thereby – with the performative act being a part of the integral creative process – directly interferes into it. In the spirit of 1975 and 1976, Branko Lenart by visual and textual accents emphasized socially critical and political statements which are never explicitly expressed but rather merely indicated and therefore left to the various interpretations of individual observer. He employed the similar manner of production after 2002 when he readdressed the abovementioned series and upgraded it with new ideas as well as well-considered and complex conceptual premises.

The transfer of such performative production of photographs, which actually originate from another time, into the contemporary world of photography was implemented in a formally imperceptible way, whereas the content provides the insight into current topics of political, economical and cultural reality. Although the production time of works varies, most photographs do not considerably differ in terms of aesthetics and integral mode of expression.

Indeed, the key feature of the Hand:Work (1975 - 2010) series is the textual component of individual image – either located within the photograph itself or added in a form of a title to the individual work – as the integral part of any photograph as an artwork. As a final result of long standing artistic processes, photographic cycle Hand:Work (1975 – 2010) illustrates one of the principal continuing and integral artworks in the oeuvre of Branko Lenart who - in a basic and direct manner – expresses his feelings and views of the world around him. The conceptual and intimate manner of artistic expression perceived in this series is distinguished within the rich artistic career of Branko Lenart as an essence of his photographic as well as general artistic reflection.