Photos by Josef Bosák capture years of history in the troubled region
The Czech Photo Centre is showcasing the photography of Josef Bosák in a show called Piece of Armenian Soul. The show runs until Aug. 12.
The collection is complemented by the exhibition Every Tuesday by graduates of the Czech Photo Centre's Visual Communication Studio, in the gallery’s small hall.
Bosák holds of the Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique’s AFIAP (Artiste FIAP) and EFIAP (Excellence FIAP) distinctions.
He visits Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region every year, and the show Piece of Armenian Soul conveys some of what he has experienced on his travels. The exhibition uses photographs of elderly people as well as young people and children to trace Armenia's troubled history. There are images of people at work, at home, at play, and at a local dilapidated hospital.
“The mountainous Armenian landscape, marked by a troubled history and the suffering of its people through the decisions of politicians and relentless conflicts between Christians and Muslims, has become the author’s great focus. Despite all the injustice committed against the local population, Bosák says the native Armenians remain very friendly people with a great sense of hospitality,” the description of the exhibition states.
Bosák began taking photographs in 2003. In 2007, he visited Armenia and began to focus on capturing the human form and social journalism.
During a recent visit, he was an eyewitness to political events where the leader of anti-government protests, Nikol Pashinyan, became prime minister.
He visited the Karabakh Hospital numerous times over three years. These photos have been well-received in international photography contests.
Visitors to the Czech Photo Centre’s small hall can view the Every Tuesday exhibition until July 1. The photos cover a range of topics from body image to sports to familial relations.
The Czech Photo Centre is open every day except Monday. From Tuesday to Friday it is open from 11 am until 6 pm, and on weekends from 10 am to 6 pm.
It is located around 100 meters from metro station Nové Butovice at Seydlerova 2835/4, Prague 5.