Jana Paleckova is a 34 year old self-taught artist from Prague, Czech Republic. Her work is available through Fred Giampietro Gallery. All of the works are done in oils on top of the original photos.

Statement:

My work is about revitalizing forgotten memories, people, and places and giving them new life. These photos, once considered precious because of the memories, which they conjured, have become discarded, finding their way into flea markets and thrift stores. The people in them are unknown to the sellers, and the stories associated with them have lapsed. I am not in control of the photos which l find, and the people I meet in them. Hiding behind a pile of miscellaneous junk, a woman’s portrait stares back at me. Her story becomes alive again even though I know nothing of her. The unexpected elements I add, much like the photographs that present themselves to me, are gifts. Flashes of inspiration are then executed quickly. With my alterations I pose the question: “Who are the keepers of our own stories, and memories, and how might they evolve after we are long gone?