OPEN STUDIOS at the International Künstlerhaus

The international exchange programme run by the Friends of the Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus enables Bavarian artists working in the fields of visual arts, literature and composition to undertake residencies at partner institutions both in Germany and abroad. In return, guest artists from the respective partner institutions are regularly welcomed to the region to live and work at the artists’ residence in idyllic Fronberg.

This is also the case for the current scholarship holders from Villa Paula from the Czech Republic: The two visual artists Radka Bodzewicz and Martin Mrkva have been guests in Schwandorf since the beginning of April and are devoting themselves to their artistic projects here.

Radka Bodzewicz (b. 1991) is a Prague-based artist who explores the boundaries between figuration and abstraction in her work. Her paintings combine archetypal forms and universal symbols to reflect human experiences. In recent years, she has expanded her practice to include digital media such as AR, VR, and 3D models to create immersive perceptual worlds. In 2017, she graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague and was a finalist for the Leinemann Foundation Prize in 2018.

Martin Mrkva (b. 1989) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague under Vladimír Kokolia. In his work, he combines oil painting and paper, which allows him a particular freedom as well as dynamic, expressive forms. The human figure and still lifes featuring flowers and skeletons are central themes in his works, which, through an expressive, baroque style, explore the encounter between light and darkness as well as the transience of life. He lives and works in Kralupy nad Vltavou.

On Sunday, 26 April 2026 between 14:00 and 17:00, you will have the opportunity to meet the artists in person and gain an insight into their latest works over coffee and cake.

Before that, the Kebbel Villa invites you to two further events: at 11:00, the exhibition “NEIN! Boris Lurie and NO!art” will open, followed by the concert-lecture “Boris Lurie: Echoes of Memory – Music, Art, and the Holocaust” at 13:00.

The artists and the team at Kebbel Villa look forward to your visit!

Venue: International Künstlerhaus, Maximilianstrasse 10, 92421 Schwandorf

Admission is free, any reservation is not required.