Stories of Lacquer

The artist’s book entitled Stories of Varnish presents the unique painting materials and techniques used by artist Milan Houser in the form of varnish, pigment and dye on canvas. The book is primarily a visual narrative, accompanied by a catalogue and a concluding interview between the artist and art theorist Tomáš Pospiszyl. Long ago, Milan Houser discovered lacquer as a unique painting medium. The decisive factor was probably that by pouring and dissolving it, it is possible to create unexpected depth, space and volume within a painting. Varnish can be used to model, overlay or coat objects; it can be subtly understated or ostentatious. One can constantly experiment with its composition and consistency: ingredients can be mixed into it that become carriers of specific meanings; it is possible to test new interactions between individual layers of varnish; it can be cut into, polished and smoothed. Pools of varnish can visually subjugate their surroundings; through reflections in their glossy surface, they both camouflage and absorb reality, subjugating and adapting the world around them. The image can then behave in ways not usually associated with it: it can be a sculpture, a design, or land art. Milan Houser (1971) is a visual artist and abstract painter. He serves as Vice-Rector for Artistic Activities and Sustainability at Brno University of Technology and as Head of the Traditional Media Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts. The publication won 3rd place in the competition for the Most Beautiful Czech Book of 2020 in the Art Books category."