Out of the City! The Photography and Curatorial Work of Jindřich Štreit

• EXHIBITION: Out of the City! The Photography and Curatorial Work of Jindřich Štreit
• DATES: May 21 – September 6, 2026
• OPENING RECEPTION: May 21, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
• PLACE: Museum of Modern Art, Salon and Cabinet
• CURATORS: Štěpánka Bieleszová, Arkadiusz Gola
• ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: Štěpánka Bieleszová
• GRAPHIC DESIGN: Petr Šmalec
• PREPRESS: Martin Navrátil
• INSTALLATION: Vlastimil Sedláček, Filip Šindelář, Radka Žáková
• COLLABORATION:
  • Collections and Documentation Department (Zdeněk Sodoma), Restoration Department (Jakub Barna, Veronika Langer Klimszová, Anna Píšťková, Gabriela Polívková)
  • The exhibition was created in collaboration with the Rzeszów City Photography Gallery and the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze.
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Piotr Piech, Rzeszów City Photography Gallery

The exhibition marking Jindřich Štreit’s 80th birthday presents a unique double portrait of this extraordinary figure—both as a photographer and as a cultural organizer. However, this is by no means a retrospective of a man who is slowing down. On the contrary. The artist’s exhibition Out of the City!, which runs from May 21 to September 6, 2026, at the Olomouc Museum of Art, demonstrates that vitality, concern for others, and a desire to be active can accompany a person throughout their entire life, regardless of age.

The exhibition presents two important aspects of Štreit’s work: his photographic oeuvre and his long-standing curatorial work at the former school in Sovinec. Both are united by a single theme—a deep interest in people and their everyday lives.

PEOPLE FIRST

The first part of the exhibition features previously unpublished photographs from the 1980s, taken in the former Sudetenland. The artist took these photos at the time but never exhibited them. They are coming to life now, after many decades.

This is not merely a document of rural life before 1989. Štreit captures interpersonal relationships, traditions, and the joys and hardships of everyday life. In his images, the village becomes a microcosm of society as a whole. We see both solidarity and loneliness, fatigue and hope.

What is essential, however, is that his photographs are neither sensationalism nor detached criticism. They arose from a personal relationship, from trust and long-term contact with the local people. Štreit never stood on the sidelines. He was part of the environment he photographed. And it is precisely this humanity that gives his images their power even decades later.

THE COURAGE TO CREATE EVEN IN DIFFICULT TIMES

The second part of the exhibition highlights Štreit’s curatorial work at Sovinec, where, starting in 1974, he created a meeting place for artists outside the official cultural centers. During the Normalization era, under the watchful eye of censorship and state authorities, he managed to build a space for the free exchange of ideas and creative work.

The year 1982 brought a dramatic turning point—he was accused of defaming the republic. This experience would have broken many people. For him, however, it strengthened his resolve to continue. Even though he could exhibit only to a limited extent and mostly in alternative spaces, he never stopped creating or supporting others.

ACTIVITY AS A WAY OF LIFE

Jindřich Štreit’s life shows that being active is not a matter of age, but of attitude. Throughout his life, he has been interested in social issues, in people on the margins of society, in those who are not often seen. He has photographed seniors, people with disabilities, and those facing difficult life situations—always with respect and empathy.

His story can be an inspiration: each of us can be active within our own capabilities. Some help through photography, others through volunteering, caring for loved ones, or showing concern for neighbors. The important thing is not to remain indifferent.

The exhibition “Out of the City!” does not, in essence, look back at the past. Rather, it shows that even at eighty, one can be full of energy, curiosity, and a desire to create. And that an active life, openness toward others, and a willingness to help give old age both depth and meaning.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)