Indra Stein
Mgr. Jindrich Plotica, academic sculptor and restorer, was born in
Zilina (Czechoslovakia) in 31.1.1957.
He graduated from a number of artistic schools and courses. He successfully
gained two final high school certificates with grade A. (He got one in grammar
school and the other one after graduating from Artistic-industrial high school
in Brno). Afterwards, he entered the Academy of fine art in Prague, specialising
in sculpture. He chose a different major – restoration of stone sculptures,
in the third year of his study. He diligently attended the Academy from 1979
to 1984.
During that time, he took part in art exhibitions. For example, he
participated in an exhibition in Horice in 1980 and in a symposium in Kopaniny.
For security reasons and to avoid reprisal from the communistic regime, which
prohibits students of arts schools participating in art exhibitions, he started
to create under an artistic pseudonym “Jindra Stein”.
In his sixth year at the Academy, for his excellent benefit during
his study, he got permission from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry
of Schools to go study abroad, in Italy for six months. He attended International
artistic university in Florence, majoring in conservation and restoration,
where he mostly specialised in study about marble and the restoration of Florentine
mosaics. Because the study was too theoretical, he tried to enter the Brera
Academy of fine art in Milan. He succeeded in entering the Academy before
his sixth month visa expired. In the specialist course of sculpture, he met
a new professor Alik Cavalieri, a student of Marino Marini. After entering
the Academy, he moved to Milan and applied to the Czechoslovakian Consulate
to extend his visa for study reasons. He didn`t get any answer, but during
the next six months he was notified, that he was found guilty in Czechoslovakia
of leaving the republic without permission and he was going to be sentenced
to 3 years life imprisonment without possibility to repeal. But for him, artistic
studies were very important so he kept studying in Italy. He continued studying
under professor Cavalieri at the Academy for another 2 years. And then in
1987 things changed.
During that time, he was gaining international recognition. He took
part in an international exhibition of sculpture and painting in Amiens (France)
in 1986. Because the French pronounced his name “Jindra” too softly “Gindra”,
he decided to drop out the letter “J” and took the artistic pseudonym “Indra
Stein”. In the same year, he opened a personal exhibition in the Castles Library
in Milan. The following year (1987), he participated in the two international
exhibitions in Castellanze. One of them concerned sculpture of monuments,
the other concerned small sculpture works. He exhibited in a show-room of
the cultural section in Casalpusterlengo in 1988. His wooden sculptures were
seen in the oratory of martyrdom in the St. Abroz basilica in Milan since
1989. In 1991, under the patronage of the Czechoslovakian embassy in Roma,
he opened an exhibition in “Il Torchio di Porta Romana” gallery. During this
creative period, from 1985 to 1991 he also completed specialized practice
with two Milanian architects in restoration (stone and decorative plastered
wall) architectural elements and sculptures in Piemonte and Lombardia. Besides
restoration of stone and decorative plasters, antique furniture and sculptures
from polychromed wood, he also dedicated himself to furniture design, light
elements and free sculpture. Below are presented some of his the most important
works of this period:
-
1987 sculpture of an angel (2m), bronze, private
collection – Milan (Italy)
-
1987-88 graphic designs for a lot of catalogues
FILPUCCI firm – Prato (Italy)
-
1988 sculpture ‘Melancholy’(1,5m), bronze,
private collection – Milan (Italy)
-
1989 stations of the cross, polychromed wood
– Bolzano (Italy)
-
1990 creation designs of desks made from Florentine
mosaic for PENATI firm – Casalpusterlengo (Italy)
He opened his own workroom with sculpture and restoration service of
gravestones in 1991. (He restored and created sculptures for Monumentale and
Maggiore cemeteries in Milan.)
During that time, he received Italian citizenship and he met his present
wife and partner Elisa Burberi (It has been his already third attempt at marriage.
His first wife was a Czech and the second wife was an Italian) with whom he
opened a gallery in Domodossola. The gallery sold artistic and design pieces
such as furniture, interior objects and lightened objects based on artistic
design. While open the gallery displayed only one piece of artistic design
– a table made from Florentine mosaic and wood, which was bought by a man
from Barcelona for his private collection.
As an Italian citizen, who disposed of his Italian passport, je finally
got a chance to come back to the Czech Republic and give a hug to his mother,
who he hadn`t seen for 10 years. He participated as a free artist in a symposium
in Lenora in 1991 and he also participated in an exhibition of graphic and
small-sized sculpture in Manes gallery, in Prague, in 1993.
Mr. Stein with Mrs. Burberi moved to the Czech Republic in 1994. Afterwards,
Mr. Stein found out that his punishment was crossed out from the register
of punishment in 1989. He applied for his Czech citizenship to be returned.
Unfortunately the bureaucratic mentality of the Czech police still stayed
the same. He was compelled to choose from the Czech or the Italian citizenship,
because having both of them simultaneously was impossible. He decided to keep
the Italian one and continued to be an Italian.
In order to fix up his university titles and ensure his future job,
he decided to finish his study in the Academy in Prague. He prepared for his
final exams, which he made in 1996 (theoretical diplomatic work: restoration
of marqueteries and mosaics of all materials). He succeeded and got the diploma
for restoration of sculpture works and stone, wooden, terracotta, stuccoed
and plastered polychromies.
In spite of his various obligations, he found a time to organise an
exhibition in Vienna (Austria) at the Hitzing University, where he exhibited
paintings, sculptures, reliefs, mosaics and design over two years (1993 to
1995). In 1994 he designed an altar with presbyter for a church in Hustopece
at Brno (The Czech Republic).
In 1997, he made a reconstruction of the interior design in a pharmacy
“At red crayfish” in the historical centre of Brno (the Czech Republic), where
he restored decorative plasters and wooden furniture etc. and he designed
and realised a counter, some furniture and mosaics windows and lighting in
the pharmacy.
In 1998, he co-operated with an architect Gilberto Burberi and together
they designed a luxurious family house called “The Ark” in Breclav (the Czech
Republic).
Between the year 1998 and 1999, he realised “The Life of Virgin Mary”
in diminished format for a concourse for an interior of a church in Bratislava
(the Slovak Republic).
In 1999, when he was very busy as a restorer, he got an interesting
offer to teach and become a leader of an atelier of restored stone, ceramic
and plaster sculptures at the Institute of Restoration and Conservation techniques
in Litomysl (the Czech Republic).
The idea to give the youth, not only his theoretical, but mainly practical
experience gave him a lot of enthusiasm. He took the job and he energetically
started to build up his own program. He wanted to teach the European restoration,
but also he tried to find a compromise between the Czech, more artistic orientated
restoration, and the Italian restoration, which is more conservative and technological
than the Czech. It was a really difficult task.
During that time, he got an offer to design and realise insignias for
the Chancellor, Vice-chancellor and Deans of the University in Pardubice (5
sceptres + 17 jewelles-chains). These badges were first shown to the public
on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of this university. The
badges were made of brass, bronze, gems, moulded glass and precious wood and
have a prefect stylish unity of traditional and modern art, which has had
huge success and has been very positively received by critics. Besides this
happy experience and satisfaction was the enormously disappointing period
of teaching for Mr. Stein. He encountered a conservative mentality of the
Czech teachers and for that reason, he left the Institute as an exhausted,
disappointed and unmotivated human being. The restoration, which needs more
physical work than technology, made Mr. Stein tired as well. He needed a break,
so he thought: “Why not study movie direction?”…
He entered the Film School of Animation in Zlin (the Czech Republic)
and simultaneously he taught students animation drawing. This experience lasted
one year and during that time he succeeded in making various types of short
movies, which increased his already broad range of artistic experimentation.
However, he has been recently returning to Italy very often. Firstly, to enjoy
the sun and secondly to keep his old artistic contacts and friendships with
his friends.
In the year 2002 he won the concurs for
mosaic pebble wall restoration in the rotunda of Archepiscopal castle in Kromeriz
(the Czech Republic) which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List of sites worthy
of protection. (A famous example of this type of mosaic can be found in Borromeo
palace on the island of Isola Bella on lake Lago Maggiore). Mr. Stein signed
a 5 year contract for restoration of the huge and complex restorative work
(400m2) in Kromeriz, meanwhile his wife was organising the opening of a foundry
in their atelier in Brno.
The experience with badges for the University in Pardubice, which were
cast in the Italian foundry of Cattaneo from Zorlesco di Casalpusterlengo
was at first under the Mr. Stein’s control and lately under the control of
Mrs. Burberi, gave the artist Stein an idea to establish a foundry for vacuum
casting (vacuum casting is done by the shedding of wax). His wife did the
first experiments and she cast the first small and simple casts. At the same
time, Mr. Stein fixed up an atelier in Kromeriz to supervise the restoration
works on mosaics in the rotunda every day and also he started to create a
new production from brass, or bronze at times.
Indra has always been full of ideas. He began with the design of interiors
supplemented with brass and colourful glass, door handles and furniture handles
from brass and marble, copper and glass mosaics lights, cups from brass and
blow glass, chandeliers, bells, jewellery, but he also created sculptures
of combinations of brass or bronze with marble, caste glass, wood or stone
which have created an original synthesis of art and craft and which were caste
at the high-quality and stylistic level in accordance with his highest artistic
aspiration. It has been impossible to stop him from his almost feverish creative
growth. The foundry (in Brno) has fallen behind in casting all his creations.
In 2003, he got an opportunity from the University in Pardubice to
organise a personal exhibition in the University gallery. Mr. Stein took this
offer and he began preparing an exhibition of his new creations. The exhibition,
which was called “NON FICTION” lasted 2months and there paintings, sculptures
and jewellery were displayed. His most remarkable and controversial work in
the exhibition was called “Clubs for men and women”. It is ironic, full of
allusions and definitely very provocative.
The foundry was officially and festively opened in spring 2004. The
atelier in Brno was organised as a small gallery, where all the productions
of this foundry such as sculptures, design, jewellery and more or less commercial
casts were exhibited.
And how will the
years 2005, 2006, 2007... be?
According to Mr. Stein’s dynamic plans more work will be certain in
his future. He is going to organise the second exhibition in his atelier this
spring and also a large 3months exhibition in the end of the year in the museum
in Moravsky Krumlov (the Czech Republic). Currently he is organising an exhibition
in the Italian Cultural Centre in Prague and he must keep doing his restoration
as well.
So the human and artistic story is continuing…
In a few years, here on his account, certainly some other pages will
be added. The pages, which will be worthwhile to be written thanks to his
always new and unusual artistic experiences. Mr. Stein was repeatedly asked,
whether he felt more in his personal perception as a human being and an artist
as a Czech or Italian citizen. His answers only expressed his uncertainty
and revulsion towards one concrete nationality. In the occasion of his most
recent exhibition, one journalist asked him: “Mr. Stein, according to your
experiences it seems to be hard to determine which nationality you belong
to. Could you tell me it yourself?” The artist answered: “Nowadays, I can
answer it with certainty and simplicity: I`m a European, who lives somewhere,
where he can work and create.”
Mgr. Zoja Matulik