Anna Zemánková

Anna Zemánková’s drawings and collages present intricate, organic abstractions—hybrid forms that evoke both flora and fauna. These imaginative organisms draw from natural structures while simultaneously suggesting alien or mechanical qualities. Some of her forms, resembling rocket-like shapes, reflect the technological optimism of her era, a time when space exploration and cosmic conquest captured the collective imagination. Her precise attention to anatomical detail likely reflects her background in dentistry, lending the works a subtly anthropomorphic and sometimes eroticized quality. Themes of femininity and motherhood are central to her practice, with many forms echoing reproductive structures in plants and animals. These blossoming, transformative shapes suggest cycles of growth and creation, capturing the physical and psychological experience of maternity, as noted by curator Elena Sorokina. In the late 1970s, Zemánková began incorporating satin into her compositions, producing three-dimensional collages that imbued her fantastical flora with texture and luminosity. The shimmering material enhances the sense of life and vibrancy, while simultaneously conveying an unsettling, potentially dangerous quality. Through this combination of meticulous rendering and inventive materials, Zemánková’s work bridges the natural, the imaginary, and the uncanny. ...

The Approach is co-directed by Jake Miller and Emma Robertson. Located in Bethnal Green above The Approach Tavern, for over twenty years it has operated an internationally recognised programme from its East London base. The gallery is known for discovering artists and establishing their careers as well as making inter-generational curated group shows a strong focus. The list of represented artists includes the Estates of important overlooked female artists Heidi Bucher and Maria Pinińska Bereś, as well as seminal British collage artist John Stezaker, together with established and emerging artists including Magali Reus, Peter Davies, Lisa Oppenheim, Sandra Mujinga, Pam Evelyn, Sara Cwynar, Sam Windett and Caitlin Keogh. Over the years the gallery has operated parallel programmes in additional gallery spaces in London’s West End (The Approach W1) and in Shoreditch (The Reliance). The gallery is currently based solely in its original East End location and continues to expand its programme, showcasing its represented artists in the main gallery space, and both represented and non-represented artists in The Annexe, a smaller, more experimental space at the back of the building. ...