Among the outstanding contemporary publications, the 16th volume of the "Miraculum Octavum Mundi" series by Globus International undoubtedly stands out. This representative, large-format photographic book, featuring selected poems by Jiří Orten, a native of Kutná Hora, was brought to life through the artistic vision of three master photographers: Ilja Bojanovský, Ivan Skopec, and Jaromír Procházka. We are holding in our hands a publication titled "Kutná Hora" with poems by Jiří Orten, which undoubtedly deserves the title of "Book of the Year."
Two dozen verses are accompanied by fifty "trick" photographs, capturing the legendary city of monuments, its inhabitants, and the faces of young women, all resonating with the selected poems. The emotionally charged introduction to this exceptional work of art was prepared by Hana Ornestová, the daughter of Jiří Orten's older brother, under the title "
This association continues the tradition of native associations in the historic silver town. The mission of the natives' club, among other things, is to preserve the legacy of past generations and to maintain the cultural and intellectual heritage related to Kutná Hora and the surrounding region.
The natives' club fulfills its mission through various activities. For example, for over three decades, it has organized a competition for young poets and the "Orten's Kutná Hora" cultural festival. This traditional event is a tribute to Jiří Orten and a reminder of his legacy. The competition for young poets under 22, the age at which Jiří Orten tragically died after being hit by a German occupation ambulance, symbolically connects young aspiring poets with Jiří Orten, allowing a younger generation to remember him in a way that creates space for young people to actively participate as authors, performers, and participants in the competition and festival.
The festival also includes exhibitions of visual art, often photography. It is no coincidence that, in 2018, all three photographers whose work is featured in the "Kutná Hora" book with poems by Jiří Orten, presented their work at the Spolek House during these exhibitions, and they have now reunited for this artistic publication.
The quartet of profiles on the endpapers of this beautifully designed and printed publication provides the answers. We are certainly familiar with the personality of the poet Jiří Orten (born 1919, died 1941) from our school literature lessons. Due to his Jewish background, he was unable to complete his studies at the Prague Conservatory after the Nazi invasion, and he could only publish his poems under a pseudonym. Four collections of his poems were published during his lifetime. On his 22nd birthday, he was hit by a German ambulance and died on September 1, 1941, from his injuries.
The first of the three photographers is Ilja Bojanovský (born 1923, died 2009), a native of Kutná Hora. After the war, he studied at the Academy of Musical Arts, where he later served as dean and eventually as rector. He also worked as a cinematographer for Czech Television and received numerous prestigious awards. Next is Ivan Skopec (born 1942, died 2017). This native of Tábor moved to Kutná Hora after 1945. As a student, he showed great interest in photography and film. Due to political reasons, he was not accepted into FAMU (the Czech Film School), but he was eventually admitted in 1968. He studied cinematography and worked at Barrandov Studios in the Short Film department as a cinematographer for both fiction and documentary films until the end of his life. His great passion was portrait photography, which he pursued after retiring. Jaromír Procházka (born 1937), who is behind the creation of this artistic publication, is a significant photographer and patriot of Kutná Hora. He graduated from the Prague Conservatory, majoring in Artistic Photography, and has served as a curator and author of numerous thematic exhibitions focused on Kutná Hora. He has also had many exhibitions abroad, in Europe, from Slovakia and Hungary to Germany, France, Russia, Poland, and even Denmark and the Netherlands. In addition to other pursuits, he has been successful in portrait photography. Through his lens, he has captured countless cultural and political figures from both the Czech Republic and abroad. However, his greatest inspiration remains his hometown... [Image of a photograph] [Image of a photograph] [Image of a photograph] **gnews.cz - Ivan Černý** *PHOTO - Miroslav Moravec and archive*
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