Jan Saudek (Czech, B. 1935)

Placere: Prague

Født: 1935

Biografi:

Jan Saudek is a Czech photographer, painter and screenwriter. He was born on May 13, 1935 in Prague, then part of Czechoslovakia. His father was Jewish and his family suffered persecution by the Nazis during World War II. Most members of his family died at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, but his brother Kája survived and became a famous comic book artist in their country. After the war, Jan Saudek began working as an apprentice printer in 1950 before completing his military service. He then devoted himself to photography. In 1969 he traveled to the United States where he was encouraged by Hugh Edwards in his work. His art is influenced by Alfons Mucha and often depicts nudes and youthful figures arranged in dreamlike spaces. Jan Saudek has had numerous individual and collective exhibitions around the world, including at the National Gallery of Prague and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris. He was awarded the title of Knight of Arts and Letters by France in 1990 and received the Medal of Merit from his country in 2019. Jan Saudek is considered one of the most important Czech photographers and has a unique style that sets him apart.