Jaroslav Vaček: Welle des Lebens, 1986 (Wave of Life)
Marble, 116 x 110 x 28 cm
Five tons in weight, this impressive sculpture was taken to Germany in 1997. Today it welcomes guests of the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen upon their arrival in the park of the Academy. This figurative composition in a simplified closed form fascinates the viewer by its sensitively implemented, harmonious proportions: Concave and convex shapes, irregular structures, smooth interior forms and shining reflections form a successful combination. The design language of the "Wave of Life" bears exactly the same artistic signature as Vačeks smaller sculpture "The Marble Family", which is also on display at the Academy. The "Wave of Life" made of Czech marble is intended to give people from all countries a sign of hope and peace. It is part of the European Sculpture Trail of Peace. This trail is based on an idea of the artist Otto Freundlich (*1878 in Stolp, today Słupsk, Poland, †1943 in Majdanek concentration camp, Poland), which was taken up by the Saarland sculptor Leo Kornbrust. The Sculpture Trail stretches from Normandy to Russia and, like the Academy, was born out of the European vision of peace.
Jaroslav Vaček (*1923 in Vel'ké Kosihy, today Slovakia, †2012 in Prague, Czech Republic) was a Czech sculptor who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. Alfred Fuchs, the only honorary member of the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen, was a friend of his. Vaček provided advice and support to the Jewish-German-born Fuchs, in dealing with the government in the post-war period. Together they travelled to Germany and, in 1993, exhibited at the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen as the second group of artists from the former Eastern Bloc ever to do so. Vaček lived and worked in Prague.