The Špejchar Želeč Picture Gallery has earned a leading place among South Bohemian art stalls

Enlighteners of the South

Under this term, the art-loving public will surely recall the South Bohemian gallery OBRAZÁRNA ŠPEJCHAR ŽELEČ, which has earned a leading place among (not only) South Bohemian stands of fine art during the decades of its existence. This is due to its varied exhibition dramaturgy, regularly presenting dozens of Czechoslovak masters of the 20th and 21st century palette. The Association Osvětáři Jihu was founded by the tireless art historian, curator, art publicist and writer Pavel Šmidrkal. The aim of the association is to discover, preserve and disseminate the cultural heritage associated with the region through lectures, exhibitions and its own publishing activities. At the same time, it promotes and increases tourism in the region by promoting its history and present and by disseminating useful information.

Opening ceremony of the new gallery

The Želeč Picture Gallery celebrated its 13th exhibition season in 2024. In the spirit of the saying about the unlucky number, it was also the last one, when other interests won over culture and education. The village thus lost its extraordinary cultural magnet that attracted those interested in the visual arts from home and abroad. The enlighteners of the South therefore had to change their location, which happened thanks to the understanding of the owner of the Bechyně Spa and the listed building, the so-called Kotěra Villa (built in 1905), which was thus transformed into an exhibition hall.

The Osvětáři have been cooperating with the spa for several years, and exhibitions organized by them have contributed to the leisure activities of spa guests and holidaymakers. Their popularity grew hand in hand with the visitors (normally 100 guests at the opening), until the premises in the main building of the spa began to serve a different purpose and the time came to look for a replacement, more representative. All's well that ends well! Kotér's Villa is thus the new and important location of the Association of the Enlightened of the South.

What we can look forward to

As Pavel Šmidrkal told us, the premiere of the exhibition opened with a presentation by the top Czech landscape painter Josef Černý entitled Homage to Landscape and City, which will run until the beginning of May. In this context, we must remind you that visitors to the gallery will also have the opportunity to see several works commemorating the liberation of the republic from the fascists at the end of the Second World War in 1945, as Černý returned to this theme with several themes of American soldiers during the occupation of Pilsen, after the city's inhabitants themselves had liberated their city after fighting with the Nazis - three hundred patriots were killed at that time, mainly from the ranks of railway and postal workers.

The upcoming events will include a presentation by painter Martin Kořenko, June will bring a cross-section of the work of art photographer Lev Pavluch, then it will be time for Karel Molnár and a series of regional authors. It is certainly pleasing news that a selection of Josef Černý's work will be presented in April-May alongside the Bechyně exhibition by the Prague Small Gallery Tudy k badatelně Vojenské ústního archivu (Prague 6), this time directed by the Association of Czechoslovak Foreign Airmen-East. Their exhibitions never lack catalogues of the authors and admission is free.

Paintings with themes of Paris and Sumava

The Bechyně opening of the paintings by the painter Josef Černý became an opportunity to meet art personalities of the South Bohemian Region, such as Valentin Horba, Josef Záruba, Tomáš Pitlik or Lev Pavlucha. The opening speech was given by the mayor of Bechyně Štěpán Ondřich. Among the distinguished guests was Gen. František Padělek, chairman of the Club of Generals of the Czech Republic. The most satisfaction was expressed by the patients of the spa present, for whom the opening was an inspiring evening of bonding with the paintings to beautiful music.

It remains to add that the painter and draughtsman Josef Černý (born in 1943) remains unaffected by old age in his current work. He does not lack liveliness, he is tireless and full of energy. He fills his studio with new works, almost daily using his brush to work magic on the canvas. His talent was already strengthened decades ago by private studies (1961- 63) with ac. mal. František Jelínek, then with ac. mal. Vladimír Havlice. In 1978-1981 Josef Černý graduated from the Lumír Topinka Art School. He held eighty solo exhibitions, some of his paintings crossed our borders in all directions (quotation from the exhibition catalogue by curator Pavel Šmidrkal).

Ivan Cerny