Jan Saudek (born 13 May 1935) is an art photographer and painter. Saudek's art work represents a unique technique combining photography and painting. In his country of origin, Czechoslovakia, Saudek was considered a disturbed artist and oppressed by authorities. His art gained more prominence during the 1990s, thanks to his collaboration with the luxury art book publisher

Taschen Taschen is a luxury art book publisher founded in 1980 by Benedikt Taschen in Cologne, Germany. As of January 2017, Taschen is co-managed by Benedikt Taschen and his eldest daughter, Marlene Taschen. History The company began as Tasch ...

. During the 2000s Saudek lost all his photo negatives in a dispute with a former partner. The pictures were managed and displayed by Saudek.com, his son’s company, against Jan’s will. In 2012 High Court in Prague invalidated contracts between Jan and Saudek.com, effectively returning control over the works to the artist. Saudek is the author of many “

mise en scene Mise or Miše may refer to: * Mise (mythology), a deity addressed in the ''Orphic Hymns'' * Ante Miše (born 1967), Croatian footballer * Jerolim Miše (1890–1970), Croatian painter, teacher, and art critic * MISE, an abbreviation for Mean i ...

” that were re-taken and copied by other artists. The cliché of a naked man holding a naked new born baby with tenderness became a picture that was reproduced so many times that the composition became as commonplace as posing for a graduation picture. During his life in

communist Czechoslovakia The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, (Czech and Slovak: ''Československá socialistická republika'', ČSSR) known from 1948 to 1960 as the Czechoslovak Republic (''Československá republika)'', Fourth Czechoslovak Republic, or simply Czech ...

, Saudek was labeled by the totalitarian regime as a pornographer. He lived in poverty using the only room in his basement as his studio. A disintegrating wall and a window giving a glimpse into the backyard became the witnesses of his fantasies and collaborations with models of all different sizes and origins.

Life

Saudek and his twin brother Karel (also known as Kája) were born to a Slavic (Czech) mother and

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

ish father in Prague in 1935. Their mother's family came to Prague from

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

, and their father from the city of

Děčín Děčín (; ) is a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It is the seventth largest municipality in the country by area. Děčín is an important traffic junction. Administrative division Děč ...

in the northwest part of that area. During World War II and after the invasion of the German

Nazis Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

, both sides of his family were racially persecuted by the invaders. Many of his Jewish relatives died in

Theresienstadt concentration camp Theresienstadt Ghetto was established by the SS during World War II in the fortress town of Terezín, in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia ( German-occupied Czechoslovakia). Theresienstadt served as a waystation to the extermination c ...

during the war. Their father Gustav was deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp in February 1945. Although their mother and many other relatives died, both sons and father survived the war. A Communist-dominated government gained power after the war to rule the country, enforced by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and considered to be behind the

Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...

. According to Saudek's biography, he acquired his first camera, a Kodak Baby Brownie, in 1950. He apprenticed to a photographer, and in 1952 started working in a print shop; he was restricted to this work by the Communist government until 1983. In 1959, he started using the more advanced Flexaret 6x6 camera, and also engaged in painting and drawing. After completing his military service, he was inspired in 1963 by the catalogue for American photographer

Edward Steichen Edward Jean Steichen (; March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973) was a Luxembourgish American photographer, painter and curator and a pioneer of fashion photography. His gown images for the magazine ''Art et Décoration'' in 1911 were the first modern ...

's '' The Family of Man'' exhibition, and began to work to become a serious art photographer. In 1969, Saudek traveled to the United States, where he was encouraged in his work by curator Hugh Edwards of the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

. Returning to

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, Saudek had to work at his photography clandestinely in a cellar, to avoid the attentions of the secret police. With his work turning to themes of personal erotic freedom, he used implicitly political symbols of corruption and innocence. From the late 1970s, he became recognized in the West as the leading Czech photographer, and also developed a following among photographers in his own country. In 1983, the first book of Saudek's work was published in the English-speaking world. The same year, he became a freelance photographer; the Czech

Communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

authorities allowed him to stop working in the print shop, and gave him permission to apply for a permit to work as an artist. In 1987, the archives of his negatives were seized by the police, but later returned. Saudek lives and works in Prague. His brother Kája Saudek was also an artist, the best-known Czech

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

ist.

Work

His best-known work is notable for its hand-tinted portrayal of painterly dream worlds, often inhabited by nude or semi-nude figures surrounded by bare plaster walls or painted backdrops. He frequently re-uses elements (for instance, a clouded sky or a view of Prague's

Charles Bridge Charles Bridge ( , ) is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.; The bridge replaced ...

). In this his photographs suggest the studio and tableaux works of mid-19th century erotic photographers, as well as the works of the 20th-century painter

Balthus Balthasar Klossowski de Rola (February 29, 1908 – February 18, 2001), known as Balthus, was a Polish-French modern artist. He is known for his erotically charged images of pubescent girls, but also for the refined, dreamlike quality of his ima ...

, and of Bernard Faucon. Saudek's early art photography is noted for its evocation of childhood. His later works often portrayed the evolution from child to adult (re-photographing the same composition/pose, and with the same subjects, over many years). Religious motifs and the ambiguity between man and woman have also been some of Saudek's recurring themes. During the 1990s, his work at times generated censorship attempts in the West because of its provocative sexual content. Saudek's imagery has sometimes had a mixed reception internationally. He gained early shows in 1969 and 1970 in the United States. In Australia, in June–July 1977 his work was welcomed by curator Jennie Boddington at the

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...

,''The Age'', 03 June 1977, p.45 who sent the show to the

Australian Centre for Photography The Australian Centre for Photography (ACP) was a not-for-profit photography gallery in Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia that was established in 1973 and which also provided part-time courses and community programs. One of the longest running c ...

in August,''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 10 September 1977, p.39 in the Centre's third year. Both shows were accompanied by the same exhibition of four young Australian photographers. ''Jan Saudek: Story from Czechoslovakia, My Country'', then appeared again in Melbourne at Church Street Photographic Centre in December and was reviewed favourably by women's activist Beatrice Faust.

Shepparton Shepparton () (Yorta Yorta language, Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River (Victoria), Goulburn River in northern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Mel ...

Civic Centre showed ''Photographic images 1956-1981 by Jan Saudek'' in June–July 1982, followed by Benalla Art Gallery in September 1982.'Weekender' Listings The Age 10 Sep 1982 p.37 Decades later, by contrast, his photograph ''Black Sheep & White Crow,'' which features a semi-naked pre-pubescent girl, was removed from the Ballarat International Foto Biennale in

Victoria, Australia Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of ; the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), with a population of over 7 million; ...

just before the opening on 21 August 2011; objections had been made related to allegations of child prostitution for his subject. Saudek's photographs have been featured as covers for the albums of

Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa (AN), often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by Calorie restriction, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. Individuals wit ...

('' New Obscurantis Order''), Soul Asylum ('' Grave Dancers Union''),

Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer and musician. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Harold Budd ...

('' For the Beauty of Wynona''), Rorschach (''Remain Sedate''), and Beautiful South (''

Welcome to the Beautiful South ''Welcome to the Beautiful South'' is the debut album by the English band the Beautiful South. It was released in October 1989 by Go! Discs and the next year in the United States by Elektra Records. Three singles were released from the album, whic ...

'').

Publications

* Jan Saudek-Photo, and Jiri Masin Milos Macourek, House of Lords of Kunštát, Brno, Czech Republic, 1970. * ''The World of Jan Saudek: Photographs.'' Jacques Baruch Gallery, Chicago, IL, 1979. * ''Jan Saudek-Il teatro della vita.'' Giuliana Scimè, Selezione d'Imagini, Monza, Italy, 1981. * ''Story from, Czechoslovakia, My Country, and Photographs by Jan Saudek.'' Aperture Nr. 89, New York, 1982. * ''The World of Jan Saudek.'' Anna Fárová, The Master Collection Book III, Rotovision, Geneva, Switzerland 1983. * ''Images from, Czechoslovakia.'' University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, IA, 1983. * ''Story photo.'' Daniela Mrázková, Mlada Fronta, Prague, 1985. * ''Jan Saudek-35 Jahre Photos / 35 Years of Photography.'' Manfred Heiting, Photography Forum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany 1986. * ''50 Jahre moderne Farbfotografie.'' Manfred Heiting,

Photokina Photokina is a trade fair held in Europe for the photographic and imaging industries. It is the world's largest such trade fair. The first Photokina was held in Cologne, Germany, in 1950, and since 1966 it has been held biennially in Septemb ...

, Cologne, Germany 1986. * ''Jan Saudek-200 Photographs 1953-1986.'' Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, 1987. * ''20 Years of Czechoslovak Art: 1968-1988.'' Anne Baruch, Chicago, IL 1988. * ''The Second Israeli Photography Biennal''e, Museum of Art, Ein Harod, Israel, 1988. * ''Jan Saudek-100 Fotografías 1953-1986.'' Primavera Fotografica, Barcelona, Spain, 1988. * ''Jan Saudek-Monsieur Nicole'' (fashion catalog "Matsuda"), New York 1989.1991 (?). * ''Photographs Tschechoslowakische der Gegenwart.'' Edition Braus, Heidelberg, Germany, 1990. * ''Jan Saudek-Life, Love, Death & Other Such Trifles.'' Art Unlimited, Amsterdam, 1991. * ''Jan Saudek-Theatre of life.'' Daniela Mrázková, Panorama, Prague, 1991. * ''Jan Saudek-l'amour.'' VIS & VIS Nr. 10, Paris, 1992. * ''Jan Saudek, Galerie Municipale du Chateau d'Eau'', Toulouse, France, 1992. * Photo La Collection de la FNAC, Calais des Estats de Bourgogne, Dijon, France 1993. * ''Jan Saudek-life, love, death & other such trivia.'' Slovart, Prague, 1994. * ''Jan Saudek-Jubilations and Obsessions.'' Rosbeek, Amsterdam, 1995. * ''Jan Saudek-Letter.'' Sarah Saudek, Prague, 1995. * ''The World of Jan Saudek 1959–1995.'' Museum of Art, Olomouc, Czech Republic, 1995. * ''Jan Saudek 1895'' Krišal Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland, 1995. * ''Photographie des 20. Jahrhunderts.'' Museum Ludwig, Taschen, Cologne, Germany 1996. * ''Security and search in, Czech Republic photography of the 90s.'' Vl. Birgus / Mir.Vojtěchovský, Kant, Prague, 1996. * ''The Photography Book.''

Phaidon Press Phaidon Press is a global publisher of books on art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, and popular culture, as well as cookbooks, children's books, and travel books. The company is based in London and New York City, with additional of ...

, London, 1997. * ''Jan Saudek-Photographs 1987–1997.''

, Cologne, Germany, 1997. * ''The Body in Contemporary, Czech Republic Photography.'' Vl. Birgus Macintosh Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland, 1997. * ''Jan Saudek.'' Christiane Fricke, Taschen , Cologne, Germany, 1998. * ''From Sudek to Saudek''- Czech Photography in the 20th Century, The Eli Lemberger Museum of Photography, Tel-Hai, Israel, 1998. * ''Masterpieces of Erotic Photography.'' Carlton, London, 1998. * ''Jan Saudek three-Love.'' BB Art, Prague, 1998. * ''Zärtliche Betrachtung schöner Damen-aus der Sammlung Photo Fritz Gruber.'' Wienand Verlag, Cologne, Germany, 1998. * ''Absolut Originale, Absolit Originale Collection.'' Stockholm, Sweden, 1999. * ''Jan Saudek 1959–1999.'' Mennour Gallery, Paris, 1999. * ''Jan Saudek Single-married divorced widower.'' Slovart, Praha, Czech Republic, 2000. * ''20th Century Photography.'' Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany 2001. * ''Jan Saudek-Realities.'' Arena Edition, Santa Fe, NM, 2002. * ''Czech and Slovak Photography 80s and 90s of the 20th century.'' the Art Museum, Olomouc, Czech Republic 2002. * ''Absolut Generations.'' 50th

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale ( ; ) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy. There are two main components of the festival, known as the Art Biennale () and the Venice Biennale of Architecture, Architecture Biennale (), ...

, Venice, Italy 2003. * ''Dictionary of, Czech Republicech and Slovak artists 1950–2004.'' Chagall Art Centre, Ostrava, Czech Republic 2004. * ''Saudek.'' Daniela Mrázková, Slovart, Prague, 2005. * ''The Best of Jan Saudek.'' Saudek.com, Prague, 2005. * ''Chains of Love.'' Saudek.com, Prague, 2007. * ''Evenings with a photographer.'' IDIF, Prague, 2007. * ''ACP-learn creative shooting.'' Zoner Press, Brno, Czech Republic, 2007. * ''2006/2007 National Theatre.'' Gallery, Prague, 2007. * ''Jan Saudek'' (1998,

) . *''Pouta lásky'' (Chains of Love). audek.com. *''Saudek''. Prague: Slovart. . * Saudek, Jan: ''Ženatý, svobodný, rozvedený, vdovec''. Prague: Slovart, 2000. . * Saudek, Jan: ''Národní divadlo 2006/07.'' National Theatre 2006/07 Season. Prague: Národní divadlo, 2007. .

Films and radio

* ''Jan Saudek: Prague Printemps'' (1990). (26-minute film by Jerome de Missolz about Saudek). * ''Jan Saudek: Bound by Passion'' (2008). (feature-length film by Adolf Zika about Saudek). * ''Saudek Brothers Documentary'',

Czech Radio Czech Radio (, ČRo) is the public radio broadcaster of the Czech Republic operating continuously since 1923. It is the oldest national radio broadcaster in continental Europe and the second-oldest in Europe after the BBC. Czech Radio was esta ...

, 2001

Solo exhibitions

1963 * Divadlo Na zábradlí, Prague, Czech Republic 1969 *

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...

, Bloomington, IN 1976 * Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL * Jacques Baruch Gallery, Chicago, IL 1977 *

, Sydney, Australia * National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia * RIP, Arles, France 1978 * Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH 1979 *G. Ray Hawkins Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 1980 *FNAC - Montparnasse, Paris *

photokina Photokina is a trade fair held in Europe for the photographic and imaging industries. It is the world's largest such trade fair. The first Photokina was held in Cologne, Germany, in 1950, and since 1966 it has been held biennially in Septemb ...

, Cologne, Germany 1981 *Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH *Jacques Baruch Gallery, Chicago, IL *Marcuse Pfeifer Gallery, New York 1984 * Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris 1985 * Münchner Stadtmuseum, München, Germany 1986 * Centre national de la photographie, Paris * Photography Forum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany 1987 * Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris 1989 * Photography Forum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany * Jan Kesner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 1990 * Robert Koch Gallery, Los Angeles, CA * Gallery Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan * RIP, Arles, France 1991 * Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris * Portfolio Gallery, London 1992 * Galerie Municipale du Chateau d'Eau, Toulouse, France 1993 * Month of Photography, Palffy Palace, Bratislava, Slovakia 1994 * Parco Gallery, Tokyo 1995 * A Gallery for fine photography, New Orleans, LA 1996 * Museum of Art, Olomouc, Czech Republic 1997 * Museo Ken Damy, Brescia, Italy * Paris Photo, Krišal Gallery, Paris 1998 * Bergamot Station Art Center BGH Gallery, Santa Monica, CA * Municipal House in Prague, Czech Republic * The Museum of Photography, Tel-Hai, Israel 1999 * Paris Photo Gallery Mennour, Paris * VB Photographic Centre, Kuopio, Finland 2000 * Carousel de Louvre, Paris Art Gallery Mennour, Paris 2001 * Comenius Museum, Naarden, Netherlands * University of Nottingham 2003 * Broel Museum * Biennale de Venise, Italy * FIAC, Galerie K. Mennour, Paris * Krišal Gallery, Geneve, Switzerland 2004 * Krišal Gallery, Geneve, Switzerland * Lattuada Studio Gallery, Milan, Italy 2005 * House White Unicorn, Prague, Czech Republic * Gallery of Photography Past Rays, Japan * K. Mennour Gallery, Paris 2006 * International fotobienále, 6th edition, Moscow, Russia * IN FOCUS Gallery, Cologne, Germany 2007 * Galerie Jan Saudek, Prague, Czech Republic 2008 * Velvet Gallery, Bojnice, Slovakia * Royal Palace (along with JPWitkinem ( Joel-Peter Witkin?)), Milan, Italy 2009 * Gallery Velvet Kelly, Žilina, Slovakia * Monopoli-Castello Carlo V., Italy 2010 * Fotografija Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia * Fotofestival Nordic Light, Kristiansund, Norway * Kunsthandel gallery, Graz, Austria * Nordic Light (int. Festival of photography) Kristiansund, Norway * Fotografia Galerija, Ljubljana, Slovenia 2011 * Chamber Gallery U Schell, Budweis, Czech Republic * Visio Art Gallery, Plzeň * Mondo Bizzarro Gallery, Rome, Italy * Phototheatron, Athens, Greece * Galerie Esther Woerdehoff (group exhibition), Paris * Ballarat Int. Photo Biennale, Melbourne, Australia 2012 * Int. Photofestival Spillimbergo & Udine, Italy Centres of Art, Tarnow, Poland 2013 * Blatenský Fotofestival, Blatná, Czech Republic * Galerie Malá Synagoga, Trnava, Slovakia 2015: Valeria Rabbit Hole Art Room, Warsaw, Poland 2020: Malostranská beseda, Prague, Czech Republic

Collections

Saudek's work is held in the following permanent collections: * The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL * Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA * Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris * International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House, Rochester, NY * The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York * Moravian Gallery in Brno, Czech Republic * Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris * Musée Paul Getty, Los Angeles, CA * Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany * National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia * National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

References

External links

www.saudekfilm.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saudek, Jan 1935 births Living people Photographers from Prague Czech erotic photographers Nude photographers Czech Jews Jewish concentration camp survivors Czech twins Recipients of Medal of Merit (Czech Republic) Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres