Explore Czech culture through photography, animation

By Do Je-hae

A dual showcase of Czech animation and photography is attracting much attention among the visitors of the Seoul Museum of History.

At the museum, a photo exhibition entitled “Prague Panoramic,” tracing the transformation of the Czech Republic capital through the years, is underway through Nov. 19.

As an additional program of the photo exhibition, two selections of contemporary Czech animation short films called “From Year Zero” and “Graffitiger” are being screened inside the exhibition hall.

“Graffitiger,” nominated for a student Oscar last year, is a witty and melancholic short story of a lonesome, painted graffiti-tiger that lives on the walls and facades of historical houses of Prague. The city’s filthy streets and corners covered with graffiti are the savage jungle in which the tiger is seeking his way back to his lost love.

“Graffitiger, by Czech animation director Libor Pixa, combines real images with computer animation.

“This special selection demonstrates how newcomers are exploring rather revolutionary visual styles while using new technologies. Their films reflect the revolutions in animation but also changes in the whole of society,” said animation film programmer Pavel Horacek.

The exhibition is a unique opportunity to experience various facets of Czech culture in one place. After looking at the photos, one can sit down on a couch placed in the center of the hall and watch the animations.

To get an understanding of the history of Prague’s transformation through the years, a visitor is advised to start with the painting on the left side of the hall entrance. This way, one will see first a painting of the oldest authentic view of Prague dating from 1493. There are also some gorgeous 19th century watercolor paintings of the Czech capital.

Photos of today’s Prague, portraying the major sights of the city of 1.2 million, are the works of photographer Jan Vrabec. The “Langweil Model of Prague,” a three-dimensional illustration of the city shows how Prague looked about 150 years ago.

This is the final week of the photo exhibition that started in October. For office workers in the area, the exhibition is a good way to relax by exploring the beauty of Prague before getting back to work. Admission is free.

The exhibition is one of the highlights of the five-week-long Czech cultural festival named “Czech Points in Seoul,” featuring more than 20 different events in 15 places around the capital.

The festival was organized and coordinated by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Korea in cooperation with numerous Czech and Korean institutions.

The Korea Times is the media partner of the special program. It is the biggest such Czech event in the 21-years-long history of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On the occasion of the National Day of the Czech Republic, Ambassador Jaroslav Olsa, Jr. held a special reception on Oct. 28, which formally marked the closing of the “Czech Points in Seoul.”

The reception was attended by 250 guests, among them more than 30 ambassadors. A special guest of honor was Dan Jiranek, mayor of the Czech industrial city of Kladno, who also serves as the president of Union of Czech Cities and Towns.