Karel Cudlín: Once Upon a Time in Žižkov... 

The exhibition entitled Once Upon a Time in Žižkov... took place on Kostnické náměstí in the heart of Prague 3, at the same place the photographs had been taken. The photos depict the Roma as residents of the old and mostly extinct Žižkov. Thanks to his ability to create trust and communicate with the subjects of his photographs, Karel Cudlín has created an exceptional documentary collection capturing several generations of this unique community. Some of the subjects of the photos taken 40 years ago are no longer alive; however, many others, especially those depicted as children, are still living in Žižkov and recognised themselves in the photos.

The artist who has taken the photographs of the Roma living in Žižkov is a leading Czech photographer and member of the 400 ASA Group. Karel Cudlín graduated from the Department of Photography at FAMU in Prague, and he later became a senior lecturer. He cooperates with publishing houses and television and film productions in the Czech Republic and abroad. Between 1997 and 2003, he was one of the official photographers of Czech president Václav Havel.