Marking by Red Smoke, 1983 – 1985

on-site event with smoke

Magdalena Jetelová in 1983-85 realized smoke events in the natural environment of her studio in Tichá Šárka as well as in the urban environment of various derelict houses. The strategy of signal smoke has its tradition and historical justification in all continents in rescue calls at sea or in transmission of news. The artist applied the same method and moreover she extended it by the opportunity of pointing to the expansionist policy of the empire of power – the former Soviet Union. The red smoke rising from the openings in the roof and the windows of the house designates the physical place of its origin and thus already from a distance reveals its position. The shapes in their dynamic transformations are broken by views of a child’s hand gradually colouring the whole world red. The growth of the “red” conglomeration on the political map identifies the period system of designation of socialist Czechoslovakia and the other satellites countries in the Soviet sphere of influence. Magdalena Jetelová by the signal smoke sends a report about the life under the omnipresent control and dictate of the Communist party and warns about the possible risk of its repetition. By her long-term work with smoke she systematically tries out the ways of its visual expression and appeals to the necessity of mankind’s active and committed approach to the contemporary period.