Alchemy of Action - Vaclav Zykmund and Photography  

Curated by: Suzanne Pastor

The photographic work of Vaclav Zykmund (1914-1984), prolific artist, publicist, theoretician and teacher, has rarely been exhibited separate from his collages, paintings and drawings; the first and only exhibition with catalogue was presented at Prague House of Photography in 1993. In the meantime, his important contribution to Czech surrealist photography, especially as a leading member of the Group Ra, has become more familiar to international audiences, while remaining relatively unknown in the Czech Republic. 

The international importance of Vaclav Zykmund as a photographer has been proven by art historians, private collectors, gallery and museum curators from around the world. His photographs are indispensable to the history of Czech modernist photography, especially within the context of Surrealism. Antonin Dufek has emphasized that Zykmund was the first to employ photography to document “action” art, or “happenings” as early as 1944-45 with the later-named Group Ra (Vaclav Zykmund, Vilem Reichmann, Milos Korecek, Josef Istler, a.o.). Of especial interest in this exhibition is the presentation of an extremely rare original copy of Vyhruzny kompas/Threatening compass, a hand-made publication with 16 original photographs accompanied by type-written text pages by Ludvik Kundera, surrealist poet and co-member of the Group Ra. Several works by Milos Korecek and Josef Istler will also be shown.

Artinbox Gallery is pleased to present Vaclav Zykmund’s photographs in Prague after more than 20 years.