Supreme Vice
Tereza Zelenkova
Morel Books
English
Softcover
Edition 131 of 250
24 pages
190 x 270 mm
2011
ISBN 9781907071249
The mid-19th century was characterized by radical changes within society. New theories about man and the universe disrupted the traditional religious views of Christianity – God was dying, but Nietzsche had not yet officially erected his tombstone. The triumph of materialist positivism together with industrialism were beginning to show their first deficiencies, resulting in social and psychological crisis. Intellectuals and artists became advocates of ideals that were critical of civilization: this can be seen in the literature of Naturalism, in Expressionist Art and in the whole Decadent movement. During this time, when the old values were shaken but the new ones had not yet been fully formed, a wave of irrational and superstitious beliefs washed over the Western World. By the end of the 19th century countless forms of occult beliefs were practiced and a number of secret societies dealing with magic were born.
Supreme Vice work is contemplating our susceptibility to irrational beliefs that often stems from the desire to better understand the natural order of things in a time when God is dead and science is unable to provide us with satisfactory answers. The photographs in Supreme Vice invoke death as the only objective truth of our existence.
About the Artist
Tereza Zelenková (*1985 in Czech Republic) is an artist based between Prague and London. She is best known for her pensive black and white photographs, inspired by literature, local mythologies, and history. Central to her practice is the combination of photography with her own writing; a fertile relationship that draws together her influences of the lyrical alongside a commitment to research, resulting in often wide-ranging and complex lines of enquiry.
She has received several awards and her work has been exhibited on four different continents. Her photographs are held in the collections of Victoria & Albert Museum, Foam Photography Museum, Musée de l’Élysé, Saatchi Gallery and Fotomuseum Winterthur.
About the Publisher
Mörel Books are a non-profit publisher specialising in limited edition Photo and Art Books.
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