Bratrstvo

The Bratrstvo (Brotherhood) group was founded by a group of photographers, painters, writers and musicians (Václav Jirásek, P. Krejzek, M. Findeis, R. Muselík, Z. Sokol, P. Jirásek, O. Jirásek, and A. Čuma). Their approach to photographic work was done rather from the point of view of a painter – or from that of an amateur.

They grew out of the tradition of the romantic sectarian artistic brotherhoods, inspired mainly by the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. This group created and displayed its work in an exclusively anonymous fashion. Their spectrum of historic motifs (archetypal figures, fairy-tale and mythical creatures) began surprisingly at the end of the 1980s with references to the heroic, tendentious figures of 1950s socialist realism. It was taken of course to a slightly different level (exaggerated gestures, bizarre attributes, references to fashion trends and pop culture). The first exhibit in 1993 brought accusations of sympathising with Communism and Fascism. However, one of the pictures (Our Lights Will Never Shine as They Did in 1951, whose name was later changed to Truth Shall Prevail) was later used in the official materials of the Civic Forum (OF) and became part of the revolutionary visual mythology.

They would continue to play on the pathetic expressions and gesticulations, as well as the incredulities and strangeness, of the entire situation, with a nostalgic look back at time gone by. Beloved angels look like half-deranged, mentally-ill creatures. The Bratrstva (Brotherhood) subscribed to the Ježek cult, the new messiah, standing on the side of the individual.

The manifesto (written on 22 December 1989 at the Bratrstva’s First Congress in Brno-Černé Pole), speaks of a higher form of mystical collectivism, a desire for absolute beauty and perfection in an association with degeneration and decadence. It emphases craftsmanship, a return to perfection in antique forms, eclecticism and historicism, of course all this as relates to modern pop culture. They hail as important Moravian culture, the power of poeticism and Slavic sentiment. Mixed opposites. Inspiration through Mannerism, Baroque, Symbolism and decadence. This intensive mental communion only lasted three years.

1996 Galerie Pusta, Polsko 1995 Czech Centre, Berlín 1994 Štátná galéria, Bánská Bystrica, Slovensko 1993 Galerie Faber, Vídeň 1992 Galerie Ambrosiana, Brno 1991 Pražský dům fotografie, Praha Galerie Benedikta Rejta, Louny 1990 ZK Pařížská ul., Praha Galerie mladých, Brno 1989 Výstavní síň divadla Semafor, Praha Topas klub, Brno