Wartime photography pays tribute to international cooperation
A new exhibition of war photography by prominent Czech photojournalist Ladislav Sitensky began at the British Council on Monday evening. Officially opened by the British ambassador to the Czech Republic, David Broucher, this collection of black and white photographs depicts unique images of the Czechoslovak Army during the Second World War. Pavla Navratilova has more details.
The opening of Ladislav Sitensky's wartime photography at The British Council in Prague played tribute to the 82-year-old photographer. Sitensky's works are held in high esteem by many Czech artists, and his wartime photographs are especially valued for their rare quality. This exhibition features unique pictures of pilots, fighter planes, and airports, documenting the widely respected efforts of Czech units within the British Royal Air Force.
Sitensky was at Monday's opening and received great acclaim. There were many pensioners present who had themselves participated in these war efforts, and the general consensus was that these photographs pay tribute to international cooperation during World War Two. This is how one guest described Sitensky's exhibition. Sitensky's works were first exhibited in London in 1941. During the communist regime, his wartime works were rarely exhibited. Another well-known Czech photographer, Pavel Dias, a colleague of Sitensky's, explained that the appeal of this exhibition is multi-faceted. His ability to find beauty in any subject matter, to blend art with reality, and to preserve his negatives throughout years of communist repression, lent distinction to the items on display. But the most important thing, said Mr Dias, is that Sitensky's works help keep history alive.
And you can catch Sitensky's exhibition of War Photographs until the 16th of March at the British Council here in Prague.
