Josef Bolf

The exhibition Melancholy of the Outer Limits presents, for the first time in its entirety, an extensive body of paintings created over the last ten years. Their main commonality is a similar small-scale format. They were not created as a systematic series, but were usually installed in larger groups, in several rows on top of each other in exhibitions. This naturally led to a dialogue between them, a kind of narrative. Nevertheless, these are solitary paintings, strong works that deserve their own attention. In a relatively small space, viewers cross over into unknown worlds while galactic explosions take place and the gates of dimensions are shattered by gushing tears. These paintings by Josef Bolf, full of dark figures and ruined city scenery, are a mirror of his own soul. He paints them with an intensity that at least gives the illusion that his inner world connects with the outer one. In reality, though, his work only provides him with a temporary escape from feelings of deep existential emptiness. Bolf’s paintings reflects of the artist’s state of mind, his struggles and insecurities. Every figure that he paints carries a piece of his pain, and every city he creates on canvas is a reminder of the places visited in his darkest dreams. He paints faceless people lost in the ruins of cities that are crumbling like the artist’s soul.

Bolf’s new paintings are not only a testimony to his own struggle, but also a reflection of the contemporary world and its chaotic nature. His latest works combine elements of dystopian landscapes with intimate portraits. These paintings depict anonymous figures in urban ruins, their empty eyes and bleak expressions reflecting deep loss and despair. They are images full of silent horror that slowly creeps under the skin. Every detail is carefully calculated, every color carries its own story. The artist portrays a post-apocalyptic world where the only remnants of human presence are abandoned houses and empty streets, perfectly describing emotions of loss and emptiness. They are pictures that talk about the end of one world and the beginning of a new, unknown one. Above all, however, Josef Bolf’s paintings are a testimony to human fragility, as well as to the unbreakable strength of the spirit, which does not give up even in the darkest moments. Bolf’s visions have become a legacy that endures, exemplifying what it means to be human in a modern world full of uncertainty and confusion.

Otto M. Urban