Ondrej Mares (11 February 1949 – 19 March 2008) was an Australian artist and furniture designer who lived inMacclesfield, South Australia. His work has been exhibited inAdelaide,Sydney andPrague. Mares is most famous for hisKachina pieces.[1] In 2002, he was diagnosed withcancer, which had the effect of shifting his focus from larger pieces to smaller more compact pieces. Also, clues to his sickness manifested in later works, such as his Kachina titled 'Stem Cells'.[2] Mares' work has been described as "jamming as much experience, humour and detail into each of hisarte povera pieces, usually about 50 cm (20 in) high, as is aesthetically possible."[3]
Mares started his working life as a toolmaker inPrague, and was exceptionally skilled in this area, reaching the rank of Toolmaker First Class prior to thePrague Spring of 1968. Mares recalled going to work one morning during this time to find several tanks parked outside the factory at which he worked.[citation needed] It was during this time that Mares' tools were stolen, leaving him with a debt to the state that had to be paid off. Mares and another toolmaker worked nights until the debt was paid, and he then decided to leaveCzechoslovakia andemigrate.
Once inAustralia, Mares worked in several different locations, includingDarwin andBroome. Mares worked in his own workshop at Macclesfield, South Australia producing furniture andsculpture from 1975 onwards. In 1979, Mares completed a Diploma in Art and Craft in South Australia. He was a skilled carpenter, and in addition to building his house in Macclesfield he also built a house inGoolwa. During this time through personal travels and experiences, Mares developed his own unique style of work, which was manifested in several furniture designs and some sculptures. His rate of work was prolific, and his daughter recalled that he was always working in his workshop from early morning to dusk.[citation needed]
Mares travelled extensively early in his career, and the inspiration from his travels is evident in his styles of work. Between 1973 and 1974, Mares did a formative study trip through Europe and Asia, includingIndonesia (Flores),India,Sri Lanka, andAfghanistan. In 1990, Mares traveled to Europe to undertake a study of furniture design inPrague andParis. Mares travelled back to Prague in 2004 and in 2007.
During his life, Mares exhibited a total of 17 times between 1984 and 2006. In addition to this, Mares' work was exhibited after he lost his battle tolymphoma in March 2008.
| Year | Gallery and Location |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Stephen Sinclair Gallery, Adelaide "Ondrej Mares - A Lifetime" [Posthumous] |
| 2006 | BMG Art, Adelaide |
| 2005 | One Off Gallery, Macclesfield, Sala Festival |
| 2003 | Soho Gallery, Sydney |
| 2003 | BMG Art, Adelaide |
| 2000 | Galerie Gambit, Prague "Kaciny" |
| 1999 | Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide "Postcards from B.H." |
| 1999 | Framed Gallery, Darwin "Stitched" |
| 1998 | One Off Gallery, Macclesfield "New Work" |
| 1997 | Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide "Mere Sketches" |
| 1996 | One Off Gallery, Macclesfield "Gulas" (Festival Exhibition) |
| 1995 | D'Lux Gallery Adelaide, "Czech Connection" |
| 1994 | One Off Gallery, Macclesfield "Old New" (Festival Exhibition) |
| 1991 | Foyer Exhibition, Crafts Council of SA Aptos Cruz Galleries, Stirling, South Australia |
| 1988 | L'Unique Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia |
| 1986 | Elmswood Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia |
| 1984 | Greensleave Gallery, South Australia |
In addition to his solo exhibitions, Mares' work was exhibited as part of over 25 group exhibitions both in South Australia andMelbourne.
Despite being diagnosed with cancer in 2002, Mares continued to produce a large amount of sculptures, tables and Kachinas. A large amount of his work remains unseen by the public.
Ondrej Mares died in hospital on 19 March 2008. He was cremated shortly after his death.
