JOŽO

At first glance, Jožo might seem to mainstream society to be just a regular homeless person. Yet this view would be misconceived, since Jan Kodat aka Jožo is in essence far more of an artist than the typical homeless folk we find on the street. The riches he uncovers in consumer society’s cast-offs exceed the material values of the most well-to-do. Every day he reaps the fruits, and rejoices over the bountiful harvest. He likes to commandeer some random space in order to give it new meaning, style, and also to place and make arrangements for the schmaltzy finds that he tends with such care, much as a good mother cares for her offspring. These new families of things not only stand out for their visual aesthetics, but also for their content symbolism and their practical value. His works are layered – mere chaos at first glance, but closer examination reveals they have hidden orderliness and tales to tell.

My sojourn with the free and wild spirit of Jan Kodat began in collaboration with the ‘Singular SancticultivativeCooperative’ [Jedinečné Svatopěstitelské Družstvo] and in photographing the rituals of the ‘Green Man’. Over time, it has transformed considerably, having moved from planned and staged photography with prepared scripts and locations, to documenting Jan Kodat’s life, his tireless activities – collecting schmaltz, structuring the treasures he collects, creating co-objects, and, above all, the art-performances that are a natural part of his life. This process, as well as its trajectory, is only the product of Jože’s steadfastness and unwillingness to stray from the path he has set out upon; the conscious rejection of unified consumerism, and the struggle to cleanse the world of hedonistic disorder.

(note: ‘schmaltz’ here stands for collected street-found objects)