On the same planet (Josef Rataj × Klara Sedlo)

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Josef Rataj Connects Worlds: The Pop-Art Artist Begins a Collaboration with Academic Painter Klára Sedlo

Josef Rataj, who built his name outside traditional art structures and became a distinctive figure of Czech pop art, has long embraced experimentation and unexpected creative pairings. His work draws from personal story, authenticity, and street energy. His new collaboration with academic painter Klára Sedlo is therefore a natural continuation of his ambition to break down the boundaries between “academic” and “non-academic” art.

“Josef came up with the idea of creating a joint painting, and I was thrilled right away. I had never co-painted a piece before, but I had always wanted to try it. Pop art fits incredibly well with my teddy bear series,” says painter Klára Sedlo, whose works have also appeared in the studio of the TV Nova show Jáma Lvová. Her teddy bears are a signature motif found throughout her work, and have become a defining part of her artistic identity.

The work of both artists shares something essential—vivid color, playfulness, and the ability to draw the viewer into their own worlds. Together, they created an artwork in which Rataj’s unrestrained expression meets Sedlo’s precise technique and rich imagination for the very first time. The result is a painting that feels both energetic and delicate, showing that the fusion of two different artistic approaches can produce an original and powerful outcome.

“I love the moment when completely different worlds can come together. Academic painting and street art? For me, that’s an adventure,” says Josef Rataj. The collaboration also carries a personal dimension for him. “When I look at Klára’s work, I feel the same emotions I had as a boy when I looked at the paintings of my grandfather, academic painter Josef Jícha. There’s a soul in it—and that really touches me.”

The joint artwork was unveiled at an opening in Taboo Gallery in Prague, followed by Klára Sedlo’s solo exhibition, running until 11 January 2026. The project demonstrates that academic painting and street art can engage in a meaningful dialogue—and that in this dialogue, new and unexpected artistic directions emerge.