This bibliophile exhibition takes place from 1 October to 28 November 2019 at the Gallery of Fine Arts Library (Poděbradova 1291/12) in collaboration with the Society of Czech Bibliophiles. The books on display have been published at his own expense by the museum-owner, art collector, editor, publisher and author Jiří Klučka (1939) from Kopřivnice, who for many years was the director of the museum in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm. The exhibition is unique because the items have not previously been presented to the public, and they are not held by public libraries or other collections. The exhibition in Ostrava will be followed by a larger-scale exhibition project entitled ‘Faces’ (including photo portraits), which will be held at the Fojtství Museum in Kopřivnice during 2020.

The selection is guided by Klučka’s many years’ experience as an editor and his love for the artistic facets of book production. The curator and the artists come together to communicate their message, and often their shared memories – offering a mutually complimentary view of moments imbued with universal humanity.

Numerous institutions and organizations have collaborated in the production of the prints published by the museum and local history society in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm. Artists and illustrators (who later came together under the auspices of the Bílá Hora Gallery) include Anna Georgiadu Treuchelová, Anežka Kovalová, Anna Grmelová, Miroslav Adámek, Lumír Ševčík, Antonín Strnadel, Martin Strnadel, Jan F. Kovář, Vladimír Jiránek, Vladimír Rocman, Josef Šamaj and Aleš Stanovský. Printers (who have also helped to create portfolios) include František Cahel, Miroslav Bražina, Oldřich Kliš, Jiří Liška, Vladimír Bujárek, Tereza Dvořáková and Anežka Kovalová. Thanks also go to the applied graphics workshop at the Nový Jičín Museum of Local History. All of the above deserve immense gratitude for the work they have done – often motivated not by financial rewards, but simply by friendship and boundless enthusiasm. 

Jiří Klučka

Curator: Renata Skřebská