Blue Ribbon (Remnant in Space no. 8)

A line is the natural continuation of a point, from the first touch it forms a trajectory, a path of travel in time. Bartoš's trajectories symbolize a creative gesture, but also the trace of life itself with its beginnings, stops and various entanglements.

The Blue Lines series, created in August 1968, contemplates not only creation, but also the endless progression that does not stop even at the edge of the painting. The Blue Ribbon was first exhibited by Bartoš in the group exhibition Saloonik at the Cyprián Majerník Gallery. The illusory overhanging ribbon continues beyond the boundaries of the canvas like a real blue fabric, and visitors were able to cut a piece of it as a souvenir. Some of the cut-off pieces were sent out by post by Bartoš into the world to "become independent".

Bartoš also demonstrated the process of creation and its continuation at the opening of the exhibition Contemporary Tendencies in Slovak Painting in 1969. His triptych Nothing, Point, Shift depicts the three phases of painting from the blank surface, through the initial dot to the colour trail. As can be seen in the photograph from panel 19, the artist has indicated the continuation of the trajectory across the exhibition wall. He then put the sponge dipped in paint away in a cabinet in the gallery for future use. He thus defined painting as an open and infinite act that the surface of the tableau cannot contain or limit.

lab.SNG ● Atlas SNG, Content for the exhibition The Art of Fantastical Dematerialization