Šárka Darton is a Czech-born artist, whose multimedia practice explores the relationships between people, places and architecture, examining the notion of identity in the context of our occupation of ever-changing space and time. Her work is held in private and corporate collections in the UK and internationally.

Darton studied Art and Design in SUPS Turnov, Czech Republic, specialising in stonecutting and engraving before winning an academic scholarship to study enamelling at Dresden School of Art and Design in 1987.

After a short career as a restorer of paintings and wooden sculptures at the Museum of Eastern Bohemia, Darton moved to the UK in 1993 where she studied jewellery and fashion design. In 2005 she graduated from the University of Chichester with a first-class degree in Fine Art and in 2015 Darton has been awarded MFA (Masters of Fine Art) from University of Sussex, UK.

Her postgraduate career has seen her undertake several private and corporate commissions for mural paintings, including one for the Earl of March at GoodWood, West Sussex, UK.

“Addressing issues of identity and the relationship between people, places and architecture, my art is about the process of looking and seeing: our awareness of the time and space that we occupy. Like many artists who come to live in a different country to that of their childhood and adolescence, I see my own identity as somewhat ambiguous and use my art as a means of working through this ambiguity.

“Always looking for new ways in which my art will create a space, rather than simply occupy it, my aim is to give the viewer a sense of being within the work and not just standing in front of it.”

2022

Art Expo New York, World Wide Art, New York, USA.

Golden Membership at ANG Atelier Natalia Gromicho, Lisbon, Portugal.

2021

Royal Art Prize 2021 VIII, La Galleria Pall Mall, Royal Opera Arcade, London, UK.

International Contemporary masters 14, ICM, World Wide Art, Santa Barbara, USA.

Artisti 2021, Annuario Internazionale D’Arte Contemporanea, Testi di Luca Beatrice, Angelo Crespi, Philippe Daverio, Vittorio Sgarbi, Palermo, Italy.

The Best Modern and Contemporary Artists 2021, Salvatore Russo and Francesco Saverio Russo, Rome, Italy.

Lisbon International Contemporary Exhibition, ANG Atelier Natalia Gromicho, Lisbon, Portugal.

2020

Lisbon International Art Scene, Lisbon, Portugal.

Art Expo New York, New York City, USA.

Lisbon International Contemporary Exhibition, Atelier Natalia Gromicho, Lisbon, Portugal.

Contemporary Masters in Vatican, Rome, Italy.

2019

We Contemporary, Topic Salon, Prague, Czech Republic.

Art Expo, San Diego, USA.

Art Rooms Award Exhibition, London, UK.

Segnalati International Exhibition, Downtown Chiado, Lisbon, Portugal.

Prize Giotto, Lisbon, Portugal.

Prize Michelangelo, Rome, Italy.

National Sculpture Prize (Public Speak Prize Winner), Broomhill Sculpture Park, North Devon, UK.

Art Expo, New York, New York City, USA.

2018

Spectrum Miami, Art Basel, Miami, USA.

International Prize Caravaggio, Litta Theatre, Milan, Italy.

Art Expo, New York, USA.

‘Celebration’, 20th International Miniature Textile Exhibition, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

Art Rooms Roma, Rome, Italy.

Art Rooms 2018 (Principal Exhibitor), Melia White House Hotel, London, UK.

2017

Spectrum Miami, Art Basel, Miami, USA.

International Prize Andrea Mantegna at Mantova, Mantova, Italy.

Art Expo, Carrousel du Louvre, Musèe du Louvre, Paris, France.

Milano International Award, Theater Dal Verme, Milan, Italy.

‘Nearby-Faraway’, 19th International Miniature Textile Exhibition, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

‘Art Dresses’, Palazzo Albrizzi, 57th Venice Biennale, Italy.

2nd Biennale de Arte Barcelona, MEAM-European Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona, Spain.

Biennial of the Mediterranean, Palermo, Italy.

Art Rooms 2017, Melia White House Hotel, London, UK.

2016

BIJOU, Candida Stevens Fine Art Gallery, Chichester, UK

The Best Modern and Contemporary Artists, Stemberg Palace, Vienna, Austria.

Contemporaries at UFFIZI, Uffizi Gallery Museum, Florence, Italy.

ICON, Candida Stevens Fine Art Gallery, Chichester, UK

Louvre Expo, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France.

Triennale ITALIA, Verona PalaExpo, Verona, Italy.

Story In Art, Candida Stevens Fine Art Gallery, Chichester, UK.

WAW, Women’s Art World, Museum of Marrakech, Morocco.

Oxford International Art Fair, Global Art Agency, Oxford, UK.

Art Rooms 2016, Melia White House Hotel, London, UK.

2015

Michelangelo International Award, Rome, Italy.

Florence Biennale, Linea Spazio Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy.

South of England Award - Finalist, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK.

Divergence, The Brick Lane Gallery, London, UK

Artists in the World, ArtExpo’Metropolis, Art Gallery La Vaccarella, Rome, Italy.

Art Rooms 2015, Melia White House Hotel, London, UK.

2014

EWAAC international open art competition - Finalist and Prizewinner, La Galleria, Pall Mall Gallery, London, UK.

2013

NOA National Open Art Competition - Finalist, Royal College of Art, London.

South of England Award - Finalist, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK.

2012

Stride Open Competition - Finalist and Highly Commended, Ox Market Gallery, Chichester, UK.

2006

Stride Open Competition - Finalist and Prize Winner, Ox Market Gallery, Chichester, UK.

2005

Sussex Art Society - Finalist and Prize Winner, Chichester, UK

The Princess in the Tower, Chodovska Tvrz Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic.

Nominations

'I Segnalati', InArte Werkkunst, Berlin, Germany.

International Award Francesco Goya, Mirrors Room, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, Spain.‏

“Segnalati” Art exhibition in Naples by Salvatore Russo, Naples, Italy.‏

International Prize “Colosseo” - Artists in History, Rome, Italy.

WAW - Women’s Art World Award, Marrakech, Morocco.

International Prize - Leonardo Da Vinci - Universal Artist, Florence, Italy.

On Thursday last week Šárka Darton’s installation "What is the Red Thread?" was endorsed at the Italian Triennale in Verona by Vittorio Sgarby, the top Italian art critic and ex minister of culture. On Monday she was awarded the over all First prize - the best in the show by Prof. Luca Beatrice, Dott. Angelo Crespi and Dott. Estemio Serri, the judges and presidents of the Venice Biennale.

This is by no means the first time that Šárka has won an International award. In 2015 her piece Stitched Identity won Gold at the Firenze Biennale where she was representing Britain and earlier this year she won another award at the International 8th Woman’s Art World Event in the National Museum of Marrakech.

Those of you who could make it to Sarka’ talk will know how exceptional she is, how original and bursting with creativity. It is with real pride that we exhibit the work from What is the Red Thread? in the gallery in Chichester.

To some degree, Sarka has run her career backwards, she has won medals and awards all over the world for her exceptional work. She has been offered a solo show in New York for which she is currently trying to raise funds. But the work currently in the gallery is the first body of work she has created for a commercial gallery.

What is the Red Thread? was created to sit alongside the embroideries of Alice Kettle and the other artists in The Story in Art Exhibition. The work is mostly wood and steel sculpture, much of it incorporating the maps that have always been an elemental part of her work. The pieces are intriguing and invite you to touch them. The tall needles in The Point of Living sway in response to vibrations and come alive when placed outside in response to the wind. This piece can incorporate as many or few needles as you choose making it interactive and forever changing. Up to 30 of these astonishing needles can be installed at any time. Cleverly Šárka has treated the work so that they can live outside as well as in.

The astonishing Bronze called Hide and Seek that was in the gallery for Šárka’s talk has been acquired by an important private collection encouraging Šárka to consider making more bronzes, which we will continue to show in the gallery and at London Art Fairs in order to get her the recognition she deserves.