1950 – 2014Jindřich Bílek

Not only in many other galleries, especially in West Bohemian towns, but also abroad. Over the years, he has presented his work at almost a hundred solo and group exhibitions in the Czech Republic, in Germany mainly in Bavaria, which was almost at his fingertips from his hometown in Klatovy. He also exhibited in Austria, Holland, France and shortly before his death he also had an exhibition in Monaco in Monte Carlo. At home in the Czech Republic, he regularly participated in the extremely prestigious parade of the Týn nad Vltavou Courtyards, where he represented the entire Pilsen Region as a painter. He himself initiated a number of joint exhibitions of Klatovy artists, which would have never been organized without him: they exhibited in partner towns in the Netherlands in Heemskerk, and in addition twice in Germany, in Cham and Sulzbach-Rosenberg, he also succeeded in Besancon, France, where his work received very positive feedback. Then he was the only artist to represent Czech fine art at the International Exhibition in Marseille 2012. He was also selected by an expert jury as a distinguished Czech artist to participate in an exhibition in Chisinau, Moldova, which brought together distinguished artists from 34 countries.

However, 2012 was a turning point for his work. In that year he went even further, to Mecca of all painters, to France. In spring, he first exhibited with great success twice in Nancy, the second largest city in Lorraine. In March, he held his first exhibition there, at the University Library and only a month later he repeated his success at an exhibition downtown, in the Cultural Centre. His work attracted the attention of art experts and art connoisseurs that he was selected by the expert committee as the only Czech artist to represent with his painting “Dance – Beasty” contemporary Czech art at the major international exhibition in Marseille 2012. The exhibition was organized by the City Hall of Marseille on the occasion of the 88th International Fair at the newly opened Palace of Arts and, in addition to paintings, artists from more than 30 countries also exhibited sculptures, mosaics and photographs. And it was in France that they already highly appreciated his work. The success was so significant that a year later, when the exhibition “Colour on the Street” opened in Pilsen, the representative of the Honorary Consulate from Marseille came to personally support Jindřich Bílek. And in recognition of the painter’s work, she announced him very pleasant information that in 2013 it will be him who will represent the Czech Republic in Marseille with his paintings. Unfortunately, we do not know, how successful the already discussed exhibition in Paris would have been. It remained only in the preparatory stage, because the promising developing world, life and creative career of the painter suddenly closed. On the 2nd November 2014 Jindřich Bílek died unexpectedly.

Jindřich Bílek was a member of the Union of Fine Artists of the Pilsen Region and of the Association of South Bohemian Artists, as well as of the creative Pilsen groups P89 and ART KT.

In his hometown he cooperated with the Municipal Office in Klatovy and the Art Gallery Klatovy- Klenová. He also organized several joint exhibitions and creative events.

Jindřich Bílek devoted himself to drawing and especially intensively to painting, which played an important role in his work. Although he began in the traditions of Czech modernism, as we have already mentioned, as a landscape painter, he soon set out on his own path, full of feelings and experiences. He expressed the mood of the moment both with his music, as an acknowledged cellist, but just as well he managed to take a brush and immerse himself in his feelings and reach not only the listeners but also the spectators. Cello itself produces a rich and powerful sound, which in some positions can evoke even a human voice in the audience. It is not surprising, therefore, that he gradually became more and more involved in figural painting, which eventually became the dominant component in his work.