Gallery in Litoměřice connected artists who defended freedom during communism

Litoměřice – The North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts in Litoměřice has connected the works of artists who opposed the communist regime. The new exhibition showcases the Czech artistic scene related to Charter 77. According to the gallery's director and curator of the exhibition Colors of Disagreement Dana Veselská, the goal is to remind us of the events that preceded the signing of the document 50 years ago and to demonstrate that freedom is not a given.

At the beginning of Charter 77 were the trials of communists against members of the music groups The Plastic People of the Universe and DG 307. The trial took place in September 1976, and four people received unconditional sentences. "That was one of the impulses for the creation of Charter 77, which was signed on January 1, 1977. The events leading up to it took place in the fall of 1976,” Veselská stated. Among the signatories were also artists. However, according to Veselská, not much is known about them, which is one of the reasons the exhibition was created. "We identified 41 artists who signed the document; we have 28 of them here, but we mention all of them,” she said.

To provide historical context, the exhibition maps the work of artists who disagreed with the communist regime since the 1950s. It also includes documentation of actions and happenings, featuring creators such as Milan Knížák, Zorka Ságlová, Jan Steklík, Jan Koblasa, Jaroslav Vožniak, Antonín Tomalík, and Aleš Lamr. Attention is given to the works of members of the Křižovnická škola čistého humoru bez vtipu, many of whom later became some of the first signatories of Charter 77. It also illustrates the losses that the artistic scene suffered due to the wave of emigration after 1968.

Works by signatories Jiří Kolář, Ota Slavík, Karel Trinkewitz, Jaroslav Hutka, and many others are represented. "Through visual art, we want to remind the general public of the personalities who were willing to bear the consequences of their own stance, and whose work became part of a broader struggle for civic and cultural freedoms. Alongside well-known names, we also highlight a number of authors whose stories have long since faded from society's memory,” stated the director, noting that the exhibited works are very heterogeneous. "The artists were not united by any artistic direction or style, but solely by their civic stance,” she said.

The exhibition was made possible through the collaboration of several gallery institutions, private collectors, artists, and their families. In its conclusion, it pays attention to the works of authors who did not join the document, yet often faced censorship, bans on exhibitions, and other forms of persecution for trivial reasons. Among them was Olbram Zoubek, who cast the death mask of Jan Palach. "Throughout the normalization period, he hardly got a chance, restoring frescoes in Litomyšl,” Veselská remarked.

Visitors to the exhibition will find unique works, such as the only samizdat printed in color, the cover of a Plastic People album. The exhibition will last until September 27. The gallery is preparing guided tours and anticipates visits from students. In September, a unique concert featuring the original lineup of The Plastic People of the Universe will also take place in Litoměřice.