František Matoušek (b. 1967) is one of those leading Czech artists clearly identified by their unique technique that has, to a great extent, gradually turned into a symbol of their art work. In his case, it is a combined work with denim. On the one hand, it consists of a  painting defined by the meticulous pulling-out of white threads from the textile grid, and on the other hand through picturesque interventions that together assemble the final composition. Matoušek has thus loosely picked up on the modernistic trend of liberated individualism, introduced into the arts by postimpressionism then further developed mainly by Paris School artists and later by the avant-garde movement.

For all that, Matoušek remains principally a realist. Authenticity in the sense of meaning is for him a core quality. In his choice of formal technology he is not so interested in pursuing a strategy of differentiation, but rather uses form and expression for conveying a message about himself and some of the values he relates to, or those that have formed his reality. Almost all Matouška’s paintings are linked to his private life, priorities, and sympathies, while he certainly also embraces irony and criticism, though these two pathways are not typical of him. Personal mythology is thus one of the cornerstones of his artwork. In this light, one can and should read his works as autobiographical.