Josef Sudek – Otto Rothmayer: Návštěva u pana kouzelníka

#1 min Tomáš Pospěch, Josef Sudek

29. 1. 2024

#46 TourismHistoryBook Review

In recent years, attention has been focused on Josef Sudek's applied work, his documentation of art monuments, war-torn Prague and his photography of art objects and industrial design. Jan Mlčoch, the curator of the UPM photographic collection, where Sudek is the most represented artist in terms of items, noted the creative and friendly relationship between Josef Sudek and Otto Rothmayer in last year's exhibition and its accompanying publication. Their collaboration was reflected in Sudek's documentation of Rothmayer's realisations at Prague Castle, in Sudek's photographs from the series A Walk in the Magic Garden and Memories, which originated in the garden of the architect's villa, and in Sudek's photographs adjusted according to Rothmayer's design (the so-called "puřidla"). The generously conceived book presents a number of variants and previously unpublished images.

 

Josef Sudek – Otto Rothmayer: Návštěva u pana kouzelníka, Prague: UPM, 2022

#46 TourismHistoryBook ReviewPhotobooksArchiveDocumentWarCollaboration

Tomáš Pospěch

is an art historian and visual artist. He works as a teacher at the Institute of Creative Photography at SU in Opava and as a curator of photography at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. As an art historian, he focuses mainly on photography and contemporary art of Central Europe. He has authored or co-authored more than 40 books, including Eugen Wiškovský, Viktor Kolář, Jindřich Štreit, Jiří Hanke, Jan Jindra, Gustav Aulehla, Jaroslav Pulicar, Pavel Vavroušek and a selection of Josef Koudelka's diaries.

#46 Tourism

It is interesting how much the world of photography is connected with tourism, in other words, how much the two domains may have in common. If we look at them through the lens of a mass phenomenon, they may even be similarly old. And it is in this perspective that a number of controversial questions arise in all their clarity. To what extent has tourism affected many of the coastlines and unique destinations that attract tourists? And to what extent does photography influence our perception of the places we visit?

Josef Koudelka – Ruins

#2 min Tomáš Pospěch, Josef Koudelka

Josef Koudelka – Ruins

#46 TourismProfileHistory

What will Prague or New York look like in a thousand or two thousand years? My aim here is not to contribute to the dystopian genre, so popular today. But we do have a sufficient historical experience of the emergence and demise of civilizations. It is therefore not so hard to imagine that where New York City used to stand, waves will beat against the remaining concrete foundations of a few skyscrapers and Prague too will be reduced to the ruins of a few of the most significant buildings – if the city isn’t entirely abandoned, that is. Without depicting these scenes directly, such notions might follow from Josef Koudelka’s newest photographic series, titled Ruins.

Food Served to the Camera

#8 min Tomáš Pospěch

Food Served to the Camera

#42 FoodHistoryEnvironment

The ubiquity and primary biological need for food predetermine that food has undoubtedly been photographed by every photographer at some point. Furthermore, "gourmet pictures" enjoy great popularity nowadays. According to surveys, they are among the most liked pictures on Instagram and food bloggers are becoming "celebrities", bringing here joy, there wrinkles to waiters. There is a growing interest in the origin of ingredients, food blogs multiply, reality cooking shows are on TV, and restaurants with an open view of the kitchen pop up increasingly often. We are experiencing a turn in thinking about the appearance of our food and forms of eating.