Stanislav kolíbal & achille perilli

Stanislav Kolíbal born 1925, Orlová, The Czech republic / Achille Perilli born 1927, Rome, Italy

The reunion of these two proximate art worlds indirectly refers to the long-term personal friendship and selfless mutual help of both artists. 

I met Achille Perilli during the International Mosaic Symposium on the island of Korcula. It took place in the town of Vela Luka in August 1968. At the suggestion of Miroslav Míček, I were invited among the Czech artists together with Boštík, Kotík and Slavík. Every morning, all participants were transported by a small boat to nearby glassworks, where we worked all day, unless someone was just bathing or sunbathing. On the 21st fo August started the occupation of the Warsaw Pact troops in our home country and since then we experienced a completely unusual and dramatic stay over there.

The fact that Boštík and I used geometry and a certain minimalism in our drawings aroused great interest among Achille. Although he only knew us very shortly, he began to consider us very close to his art. This later led him to organise solo exhibitions for us in Rome, at the Altro Theater.

Once he also invited Tadeusz Kantor, who also attended the symposium, with his theatre company. It could be said that Achille became very close to us, because with our art we went beyond the political requirements, which worsened greatly, especially after the entry of troops in our country. And that's why he wanted to help us.

Despite the ban on exhibiting in my country, I managed to hold my first foreign exhibition in 1973 in Milan. Nevertheless, after that I also got interdiction to exhibit abroad. At this point, Achille offered me some kind of cooperation. I went to Rome as a tourist, stayed in his studio and worked in the Altro Theater. In the three weeks of my enabled stay, I made a number of replicas of what I created in my Prague studio and what no one was allowed to see.  All the material for my works, whether they were wooden boards or sheets, Achille bought himself. Some of the works were briefly taken to Dublin, where the ROSC European Art Exhibition took place. All my artworks were displayed in the attic of the Altro Theater, and later also on a solo exhibition at the famous Marlborough Gallery in Rome. Achille was a very respected member of the Forma Una group at the time, so his voice mattered also in front of the representatives of this gallery. In addition, this exhibition was enriched with my large drawings on canvas (180x120cm). Those could be folded like a tablecloth and, with the help of a Roman student of Czech studies, a disciple of A. Ripellin, smuggled illegally into Italy.

However, I could not see these exhibitions. Over the years, there has been extensive correspondence between myself and Achille. Thanks to this contact and Achille's help and understanding, I was able to progress further in my works and thus continue my development. I was very happy to be able to welcome Achille in Prague (1970), on the occasion of the Forma Una exhibition at the Prague Castle Riding Hall. A few years ago, I organised his solo exhibition in Pilsen (2012), but he could not travel anymore due to his physical condition. I am very glad that - as in 1968 - we can today meet again at the occasion of a joint exhibition.

Stanislav Kolíbal, September 2020