Exhibitions archive

The retrospective exhibition accompanied by an extensive treatise is held on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of one of the most important figures of Pilsen’s artistic life, Jiří Patera.

Rostislav Vaněk’s exhibition at the Gallery of West Bohemia in Pilsen does not aspire to be a classic retrospective of what this important artist and educator in the field of graphic design has created over the years; rather, it attempts at raising the question of what is inspiring about his works for his colleagues in the field today? What does the uninitiated gallery visitor see when they look at a design they encountered fifty, thirty, ten years ago, or encounter daily? Are they even aware that someone invented the design, or even know the name of its creator?

Miloš Ševčík: Essentia minimalis is a retrospective exhibition of the painter Miloš Ševčík, who was born in 1939 in Klatovy, and whose work provides not only a deep insight into his artistic development, spanning more than fifty years, but also into the history of modern art in the second half of the 20th century.

The exhibition will focus on the relationship between the writer Franz Kafka and the visual art and visual culture of his time. In addition, Kafka’s own work as a draughtsman will be referenced.

The strategies an artist can adopt to raise funds for their independent work developed significantly during the 19th century. The relationship between commissioners and the artist, the relationship between the artwork and the audience, and the market mechanisms themselves were changing. The decisive role of the original patrons was taken over by collectors and public and private commissioners (in the form of art competitions), exhibitions, art dealers, publishers or associations.

Inland navigation in Bohemia is a rewarding and still not very well explored topic. In three thematic units, the exhibition presents often well-known paintings whose themes are identified for the first time in a credible way. The legendary steamship Primátor Dittrich, as captured by Josef Šíma, is also included.