Czech comic exhibition opens at Taiwan literature museum

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) A contemporary Czech comics exhibition opened Wednesday at the National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL) in Tainan, featuring works by leading Czech comic artists alongside Taiwanese graphic novels exploring history and identity.

The exhibition, titled "Here and Now: Contemporary Czech Comics," showcases works by 10 Czech comic artists from the past two decades as part of what organizers described as a recent "revival" of Czech comics, the museum said in a press statement.

Co-curated by comics scholar Pavel Kořínek of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Tomáš Prokůpek of the Moravian Museum in Brno, the show traces the development of contemporary Czech comics through works by internationally recognized artists from different generations.

It highlights how Czech creators combine traditional artistic styles with avant-garde storytelling approaches, the statement said.

Featured artists include Jaromír 99, known for his black-and-white adaptation of Franz Kafka's "The Castle," and Lucie Lomová, whose works focus on historical narratives and humanistic themes.

Also on display are works by Štěpánka Jislová, who explores contemporary emotions and interpersonal relationships through delicate illustrations, and Jiří Grus, recognized for his expressionist use of color.

Speaking at the exhibition's opening ceremony, Czech Center Taipei Director Markéta Lipold Záhumenská said the exhibition builds on previous collaborations between the Czech center and the NMTL, including a Czech children's book exhibition held last year.

Czech comics are known not only for their artistic styles and storytelling, Záhumenská said, but also for their engagement with historical issues and experimental forms of expression.

She said the new generation of Czech comic artists has gradually developed a unique voice on the international stage through historical narratives, distinctive visual styles and works focused on social issues.

NMTL Director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said Taiwan and the Czech Republic share a history of authoritarian rule and are now entering a "golden age" of creative development.

To accompany the Czech exhibition, Chen said, the museum selected more than 40 Taiwanese comic works centered on themes of "freedom and diversity."

Among the Taiwanese works featured are Zuo Hsuan's (左萱) "The Banana Sprout" (芭蕉的芽), "The Boy from Clearwater" (來自清水的孩子) by Yu Pei-yun (游珮芸) and Zhou Jian-xin (周見信), and Pam Pam Liu's graphic novel "A Trip to the Asylum" (瘋人院之旅).

The exhibition also includes a drawing area where visitors can create and display their own comic works.

The exhibition is jointly organized by the Czech Economic and Cultural Office and Czech Center Taipei, and co-hosted by the NMTL. It will run through July 31 in the museum's basement library.