I was born in 1939 in Kladno, Czechoslovakia, and studied fine art photography with
professor Ján Šmok in Prague. During the communist regime in Czechoslovakia I was
for some time a persona non grata in the art world and took many jobs as a laborer to support my family.
After work I spent countless hours in my homemade darkroom creating black and white
photomontages OBRAZY DUŠE (Soulscapes) as a reaction to the only officially allowed communist cultural
doctrine of socialist realism. The technique of mixing multiple images gave me
a means to express myself; my feelings of life behind the iron curtain in a climate
of despair and fears on one hand and hope on the other.
In 1979 I started my regular cooperation with the legendary Semafor theatre in Prague
as a songwriter and guest performer, which lasted until 1998.
Later, after the collapse of communism, I could for the first time travel abroad
and exhibit my photographs and perform my songs and poetry in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Australia, Canada and the United States.
I am also an author of many books and recordings. Currently I continue writing,
recording and performing recitals all around the country and abroad, either alone or with my son Tomáš.
I also continue working on my long term, self-imposed assignment of photographing
"ordinary folks" - LIDIČKY.
I hope you enjoyed viewing my images and thank you for visiting my site.
