Helena Čapková

Education

• Ph.D. in Transnational Visual Culture, University of the Arts London
• M.A., School of Oriental African Studies, University of London

Message to Students

My approach to art history is the one of an explorer who searches for new areas of research by following journeys of artists to foreign lands and thus uncovers new, transnational and global connections among them and designers, architects and collectors. In the GLA we will explore global art history of the present time, as well as transnational and international art of the past, studying about networks of individual artists, exhibition projects and movements. Together, we will enjoy better understanding of mechanisms that had shaped the art world to what it has become in recent years—the global art network.

Courses Taught

In my classes, History of Arts and Arts in Society, we will explore the field of Visual arts across the media and regions, developing knowledge of transnational narratives that fit the past, as well as the present art scene. The connection with the present practice will be highlighted. We will consider curating of exhibitions, art business field as well as collaboration with artists on projects. As broadly as arts is defined here, we will tap into architecture and design history as well, discussing issues of architecture preservation. Keeping Asia on our minds, we will focus on challenging the mainstream narratives and position of key artists with keen intention to include histories from the so-called peripheries.

Research Interests

My research is inherently interdisciplinary. As an art historian and exhibition curator I collaborate with colleagues across humanities and creative practices, which I find incredibly relevant and productive. My latest high-profile collaborative project has been the Bauhaus Imaginista that was designed to celebrate 100 years anniversary from the foundation of the German progressive design school—the Bauhaus. My task was to put the Japanese part of the history on the map of current research.

My latest publications involved Euromerican architects who work in modern Japan, namely Antonín Raymond (1888-1976) and Bedřich Feuerstein (1892-1936). The key question that I am trying to figure out as a researcher is: "What is the key to Japanese modern visual culture and to what extent it was formed by external conversations and connections?"

Supervision Information

Art History, Transnational Visual Culture, Modernism in Asia, Modern Design and Architecture

Representative Publications

To be added.