Events: February 2012
January 2012
March 2012
Michal Ajvaz and Bianca Bellová
February 2, 2012, 19:00
Michal Ajvaz is a writer whose work is distinctly intellectual and ornate. His imaginative 2011 novel “Lucemburská zahrada” (“Luxembourg Garden”), which the author is presenting at the VHL, in the words of critic Markéta Knittlová “comprises an intellectual foundation and is infused not only with inspiration from the adventure of reading, but also in the genius loci of urban space.” Bianca Bellová, a Brno writer with Balkan roots, made her debut with the novel “Green Curry” inspired by a stay in India. Her latest novel, 2011’s “Mrtvý muž” (“Dead Man”), is an atypical love story about “living death”, a ferocious and harrowing book, that among other things “destroys all the stereotypes about women’s literature.” (Stanislav Šulc)
“The World I Live in Doesn’t Exist Anyway…”
February 9, 2012, 19:00
An exhibition of the pictures of Michal Singer and a reading by the poet J. H. Krchovský, or a presentation of the 2011 book “SINGER/KRCHOVSKÝ”. Cut-outs from the pictures of Michal Singer with embedded poems by Jura Krchovský make a distinctive book: a collage of the work of two outstanding contemporary artists.
Alain-Fournier, Otokar Březina and Jakub Deml
February 15, 2012, 18:00
An evening dedicated to Alain-Fournier, Otokar Březina and Jakub Deml, whose central themes are vision of native landscape, idealism, a reserved approach to modern civilisation, and the role of the literary magazine Nouvelle Revue Française in the Czech cultural context. The evening will be hosted by Milan Kameník, author of the books “Attila”, “Nachlazená planeta” (“Chilled Planet”), “Burgundsko kraj mnichů” (Burgundy, Region of Monks”) and “Alain-Fournier, nevyslyšený trubadúr” (“Alain-Fournier, Unheeded Troubadour”). The event is being organised by the Otokar Březina Society in conjunction with the Václav Havel Library. Admission is voluntary and goes towards running cost.
Brought to light, or Havel as Never Seen Before
February 16, 2012, 19:00
A meeting with Bohdan Holomíček, a friend of Václav Havel’s and, by coincidence, his neighbour. Holomíček was for decades a devoted chronicler of goings-on in culture independent of the Communist regime. The evening, hosted by journalist Jan Macháček, will introduce previously unknown pictures and films by the photographer.
Břetislav Rychlík’s “One Year”
February 23, 2012, 19:00
Břetislav Rychlík is an actor (Brno’s HaDivadlo and other theatres), screenwriter, director, film teacher, group conductor and the maker of more than 60 films. He will present his film (c. 60 mins) “One Year”, inspired by life in a mountain community in the isolated White Carpathians, at the VHL. Rychlík will also present his favourite group and brandy, both from the White Carpathians, a place where he has drawn inspiration for some time.
Glorious Nemesis!
15/03/12 – 01/02/12
Ceremonial launch of the first English language edition of the novel “Glorious Nemesis” by Ladislav Klíma, a philosopher of “extreme subjectivism”, translated by Marek Tomin and illustrated by Pavel Růt. More