Markéta Šenkyřík
I am a Czech-born artist, bookbinder, and illustrator living and working in the south of Italy since October 2020. I studied book design in Ostrava in the Czech Republic and fine arts in Clermont-Ferrand in France before I moved to London. In London I was working as a bookbinder for Shepherds Bookbinders, where I learnt the craft from the besties. I was developing my own and collaborative artistic projects, and I co-ran an independent non-profit gallery, 139artspace.
I put up several personal exhibitions and participated in various collective exhibitions in the UK and in Europe. I was lucky enough to work with F.F. Coppola, the Procreate Project and many others. I am represented by the MOMART Gallery in Matera. I self-published 3 books and accompanied various texts with my illustrations.
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Sono un’artista, rilegatrice e illustratrice nata in Repubblica Ceca. Dal Ottobre 2020 vivo e lavoro nel sud dell’ Italia. Ho studiato design dei libri a Ostrava in Repubblica Ceca e Belli Arti a Clermont-Ferrand in Francia. Poi mi sono spostata nel Regno Unito. A Londra ho lavorato per Shepherd’s Bookbinders dove ho imparato il mestiere di rilegatura dai migliori, ho co-gestito uno spazio d’arte indipendente, il "139artspace" e ho sviluppato vari progetti artistici.
Ho realizzato mostre personali e ho partecipato a varie mostre collettive in Inghilterra e in Europa. Sono stata fortunata abbastanza da lavorare con F.F. Coppola (USA/IT), the Procreate Project (RU) e tanti altri. Sono rappresentata dalla galleria MOMART a Matera. Ho auto-pubblicato tre libri e accompagnato vari testi poetici con mie illustrazioni.
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https://www.etsy.com/shop/InTheShelibri
https://instagram.com/marketa_senkyrik
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SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2025
Casasempreaperta - collective exhibition in osservatoriomaree, texts by Lucrezia Caliani, Michelle Ucci Paola (CS), Italy
2024
(7) -> until 15.09 – Dreams for Breakfast, MOMART Gallery, Matera, Italy
(5) – Traces - Zine and Art Book Show, a cura di Angelica Aranda - It’s not all just b&w, presentazione d’edizione limitata di 10 libri illustrati rilegati a mano, mostra collettiva, Field Project, New York, USA
(5) – Ho Sognato di essere il tuo Paesaggio Natio, personal show in Pinacoteca Comunale d’Arte Moderna di Bernalda curated by Lucia Petrocelli, text by Merisabell Calitri, Bernalda, IT
2020
(9) – Reality and it's disorders - exhibition curated by Degrees of Freedom, Espacio Gallery, London (Shoreditch), UK
http://www.degreesof-freedom.com
2019
(10) - I Like to CU DanceInk, personal exhibition in 139artspace, Greenwich, London, UK
https://139artspace.com
(8) - (9) - Ombellico, personal exhibition and workshop in La Nouvelle Manufacture, Ardèche, FR
2017
(6-7) – looking for a geometry - drawing and light installation, production and distribution of a limited edition of print/drawing, 139artspace window-gallery, Greenwich, London, UK
2016
(11) – trust the space in front of you, exhibition by Markéta Šenkyřík (drawings) and Hugo Livet (photography and volume) in homealonE, curation Bruno Silva, www.homealone.tk, Clermont-Ferrand, FR
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AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS:
2025
Sphaera Activitatis, catalog curated by Barbara Koller D’Alessandro and published by osservatoriomaree (Paola (CS) Italy)
2022
illustrations and typography for book by Dino Lacanfora, Cuor di Violino e la Bambina Calva (Heart of Violin and the Bald Girl), published by In the ShelLibri
2022
Limited edition of 24 illustrated booklets used as a presentation of script for F.F.Coppola’s film project Megalopolis, commissioned by F.F. Coppola
2012
– Aide individuelle à la création «Individual help in creation», DRAC Auvergne
2009
– illustrations, typography, graphic design and cover for the first edition of Czech translation of Saga o Hervör a Králi Heidrekovi Moudrém «Saga of King Heidrek and Hervör the Wise,» Publisher Perplexed (www.perplex.cz)
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INTERNSHIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCES:
2015 (3) – 2020 (9) conservation and sewing department assistant, Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe, London, UK
http://www.bookbinding.co.uk/The%20Bindery.htm
2015 – 2020 co-founder and co-manager of non-profit alternative contemporary art space - 139artspace, London, UK
2015 (2) – Introduction to typeset and 2 color reduction lino printing with the Adana 8/5 hand printing press.
3 day course for a beginner/improver/refresher/book artist, Studio 5, London, UK
2013 – Initiation à la conservation du document graphique «Initiation of conservation of graphic document», C.F.R.P.E - Centre de Formation de Restauration du Patrimoine Ecrit «Centre of Formation of Restauration of Written Heritage», Formations Olivier Maupin, Châteauneuf sur Loire, FR
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EDUCATION:
2011 - DNSEP - (Diplôme national supérieur d’expression plastiques) with honors (equivalent to a master), École Supérieure d’Art de Clermont Métropole «Higher school of Art», Clermont-Ferrand, FR
2009 - BcA (Bachelor of Art) with honors, Ostravská University in Ostrava, Faculty of Fine Arts, Departement of Graphics and Drawing, Atelier of Book design, Ostrava, CZ