Tono Stano Retrospective Unveils Decades of Provocative Photography in Prague
PRAGUE – A thorough retrospective of the work of Tono Stano, one of Central Europe’s most celebrated photographers, is currently on display at The Gallery of the City of Prague’s Municipal Library. The exhibition, which opened recently adn runs through Aug. 24, 2025, showcases Stano’s evolution from his early studies at FAMU (Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts) in Prague to his present-day explorations of the human form and its relationship with the natural world.
Spanning large landscape cycles and portraits, the retrospective offers a diverse look into Stano’s career. Though widely recognized for his figural compositions, especially nudes, Stano resists being pigeonholed.”he seems narrowing,” Stano has said of the label. Rather,the exhibition highlights the conceptual depth behind his images,revealing that “each photo has the beginning in the idea,observation,every time it squeezes the trigger,solves a question.”
Stano’s work emerged during a period of artistic ferment known as the Slovak New Wave, a movement that injected humor, irony, and experimentation into photography. This is reflected in Stano’s approach, which often involves staged photography, a genre that offered creative freedom during a time of political constraint in the former Czechoslovakia. The approach is especially relevant given current debates around AI posing new challenges to visual authenticity.
one of Stano’s most iconic images, “The Meaning of 1992,” exemplifies his artistic beliefs.The photo features the connection between the neck and thigh. “I noticed that my neck and thigh had something in common, and I was looking for the simplest way among them. It is always good to give away what they don’t belong there,” Stano explains. Despite its striking composition, Stano initially feared accusations of plagiarism. “I expect it to this day, but nothing,” he says. Instead,”The Meaning of 1992″ has become one of the most cited and reinterpreted motifs in Czech photography history.
The exhibition also includes examples of how Stano’s works have been used in popular culture, including magazine covers and advertising campaigns.Curators Magdalena Juříková and Helena Musilová note that Stano’s photographs align with past art movements, drawing parallels to Man Ray and František Drtikol, noting that “the diagonal line in a simple way brings dynamics to the film, as well as an abstracted geometry shape. The resulting film reminds of Hollywood’s aesthetics in its most classical period,” NOIR.
While Stano is best known for his studio work, the exhibition also showcases his outdoor photography, where he explores the interplay between the human body and nature.He photographed models in forests to capture the similarity between bare limbs and tree branches, or a model lying beneath ferns to evoke the painting of Ophelia. Comparing studio and outdoor shoots, Stano has said, “I act as a dictator as I have a chance to influence everything. Outside it is indeed different, where it is subordinated to nature.”
Stano’s artistic journey began at the Secondary School of applied Arts in Bratislava,where he was encouraged to experiment with techniques and materials. His teachers showed him how to “connect the types of art.” This led him to the staged photograph,which,in the face of political limits,provided him creative freedom. As the curators explain, “The socialist reality could not be officially recorded anyway, and what the ruling regime expected from the photo was refused to photograph many photographers.”
At FAMU, Stano continued to develop his unique style, alongside classmates who would later become part of the Slovak New Wave. The title was awarded by Anna Fárová. “The Slovak new wave oxidized the stiff atmosphere of that time with a strong dose of humor, irony and exaggeration, at the same time integrated a wide range of free art methods and procedures into photography,” the curators note.
Beyond his artistic endeavors, Stano also collaborated with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, creating portraits of celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, and Keira Knightley, and designing the Crystal Globe award. He also once posed as Franz Kafka for American fashion photographer Helmut Newton.
Stano is a photographer who carefully plans his images. “I am preparing a script, but I do little from it. I am ready to accept another program that will offer me on the site of the Almighty or the Universe,” Stano says. “When I postpone the script,improvisation begins,something amazing. But if I didn’t have a script, it wouldn’t happen.” His approach echoes his earlier statement as a student: “Coincidence itself does not mean anything until one can predict,to tolerate,tolerate.”
Tono Stano’s works are held in international museums. He remains committed to “openness and diversity in the creation, in which it is still looking for new impulses and ways of processing.”
Counterargument
While some might argue that Stano’s focus on the female nude is outdated or objectifying, the exhibition aims to present these works within their historical and artistic context. Stano’s work is not merely about aesthetics but
