Martin Došek, based in Pardubice, Czech Republic, has been creating collages for over 35 years. His collages reflect the complexity of life, focusing on themes like love, connection, and our need to explore and understand the world. Each piece is layered and detailed, capturing emotions and moments that can’t always be put into words.

During the week, he runs the advertising agency he founded, but weekends are dedicated to his art. For Martin, collage-making is both a form of relaxation and a profound exploration of self. Often inspired by a single image found in a magazine or old book, his collages weaves together memories, observations, and dreams.

We asked Martin about his art, creative process, and inspirations.

Let’s start with your love for collages — how did you first discover this art form, and what drew you to it?

I must admit that art didn’t interest me at all when I was a child. I wasn’t fond of drawing, I didn’t read books, and galleries felt like distant, irrelevant places. We only had one painting at home, and I used it as a dartboard. I was much more fascinated by nature, animals, and technology.

Things changed when I was around eighteen. I started listening to music, paying attention to lyrics, and discovering poetry. Suddenly, I was devouring poetry collections and reading books almost nonstop, as if trying to make up for lost time. At the same time, I became interested in visual art, started drawing, and painting… Until one day, I decided to glue a cutout from a magazine into one of my paintings.

It was a revelation. I was learning on my own, intuitively, without even realizing that collage was a recognized art form. I was fascinated by the freedom to assemble, glue, and create whatever came to my mind. Collage completely consumed me – it allows me to combine images and ideas that I would never have painted otherwise.

I love how you compare collages as poems; that they don’t need to be understood but can still touch people deeply. Can you share a piece that you feel captures this idea the most?

I believe this applies to any work of art. When I watch a movie, I don’t try to understand everything – I try to feel it. A collage doesn’t need to be intellectually explained either. The true meaning of an artwork emerges only when someone sees it and projects their own stories, emotions, and experiences onto it. At that moment, the artist steps into the background, and the artwork comes alive in the viewer’s mind.

In this context, I’d mention my collage “The Black Heart”, which depicts the relationship between a man and a woman. It’s about love – beautiful yet cruel, about desire and pain. The man has a bird’s head and holds the woman’s heart in his beak – a symbol of love, passion, and power. The bird has many meanings for me: it represents freedom because it can fly, crossing borders and walls. In Czech, however, “bird” is also a colloquial term for male sexuality, and this duality enjoy me.

The woman’s heart in his beak is still red, full of life, while the heart she holds above her head has already turned black – a symbol of the pain and loss that love can bring. And yet, she proudly and firmly holds it high. Love is beautiful and cruel at the same time, and that’s what draws me to this story. And in the end… there’s no need to fully understand it.

Your collages explore profound themes like the origins of the universe, human relationships, and beauty. How do you approach such grand ideas when starting a new piece?

These themes naturally attract me; they’re deeply rooted in my thinking. The world is complex. We are constantly exposed to an infinite number of stimuli and information that we often cannot comprehend. We don’t even fully understand ourselves. And yet – or perhaps because of this – we all long for simplicity. We seek clear answers, straightforward lives, and a single equation that could explain the entire universe. It’s an immense desire – and yet, we’ll never find that equation. And that’s perfectly fine.

I experience relationships, observe the world, and stitch together all these distances and closenesses in my collages. What keeps us grounded? What drives us into the cosmos? Love, the need for closeness – and against it, the eternal longing of explorers to discover new worlds.

It cannot be simplified. It cannot be fully understood. But it can be felt.

My collages are complex, layered – but I can’t create them any other way. They are the worlds I live in. This impossibility of complete understanding fascinates and excites me.

The idea for a new piece often comes when I come across a particular image – perhaps in a magazine or an old book. It seems to speak to me, asking for its place in my story. Through the creative process, I relive everything I’ve experienced, seen – or merely dreamed of.

The recurring theme of Salomé in your work is fascinating. What about this femme fatale figure captivates you, and how does she reflect the stories you want to tell?

As a man, I can say that women have always deeply fascinated me – perhaps even fatefully. Their presence is an essential part of my work. In my collages, women often play the leading role – and even when they aren’t visibly present, their hidden presence can always be felt.

Salome symbolizes beauty, power, desire, love, but also pain and destruction. This symbolism attracts me because it holds something timeless – something that will never cease to be relevant. Her story is about passion, manipulation, and fatal attraction, which can be just as alluring as it is dangerous.

What role does digital manipulation play in your work compared to traditional collage techniques?

Collage led me to my profession – I co-founded an advertising agency that has been running for 27 years. I work extensively with Photoshop, so digital manipulation is part of my daily routine. I also use AI tools, which save me a lot of time.

But when the weekend comes, I turn off my computer and return to traditional collage. I cut, glue, and paint by hand. That physical contact with paper and colors is essential for me. I work on the floor of my studio, where cutouts, paints, and glue are scattered everywhere. I only tidy up on Sunday evening – if at all.

"The Surrealists showed me there's no need to fear the depths of my own imagination.” Can you elaborate more on this?

The Surrealists captivated me at the very beginning of my artistic journey. They showed me that no thought is “too much” and that I don’t need to restrain my imagination. This resonated deeply with me.

Life itself is often surreal. You just have to watch the world as an observer and let events unfold without trying to understand everything. Surrealism is about feeling and experiencing. Collage is the perfect technique for translating those inner visions into a visual language. The Surrealists loved collage, and so do I.

You’ve been exhibiting your work since 1993 – do you have a favorite memory from one of your exhibitions or a moment that left a lasting impression on you?

I always enjoy exhibiting – especially when someone buys one of my collages because they want to look at it every day. That’s a huge honor for me.

But the most beautiful compliment I’ve ever received was when someone said: “I’d like to live in your collages.” It was personal, human, and incredibly moving. Moments like these give meaning to my work.

What else fills your time when you’re not creating art?

A large part of my time is taken up by my work in the advertising agency. But then there’s the sea – endless, mysterious, and fascinating. I was born and live in a landlocked country, so the sea has always attracted me with its unattainability.

I love traveling to places where the sea is. It inspires me with its changeability and elemental power. But the desire to create collages is always so strong that I keep returning to them. Collages are my passion, my joy, and a way to relax from everyday life.

Finally, what’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects or themes you’re excited to explore in your future work?

Last year, I had two solo exhibitions, which was very demanding. In 2025, I plan to participate only in a few group exhibitions.

I’m already preparing the next edition of the exhibition “Dance in Collages,” part of the international festival Jazz Dance Open. I’ve shared a call for collage artists on Instagram to join in.

Above all, I plan to keep creating. Collage brings me immense joy, inspiration, and meaning. I hope my work continues to inspire people following me on Instagram and Facebook. Social media is like an open, global gallery full of amazing artists – I love discovering new creators, admiring their work, and sharing my own.