Miroslav Tichý (1926-2011)

Miroslav Tichý (1926-2011)

UNTITLED, c.1960s-1980s, vintage silver gelatin print, image size, 163 x 125mm loosely mounted and archivally framed (595 x 465mm)

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He stole intimate glimpses of his subjects through windows and the fences of swimming pools as well as in the streets, sometimes finding himself in trouble with the police. He would often draw intricately on each print in pencil embellishing the images with his lines or reworking them in other ways, Tichý would also sometimes include a card frame around the prints and decorate those too. The work that might to the casual viewer, simply appear to be intrusive voyeurism, takes on a melancholic and poetic quality. They are exquisitely produced small objects of obsession, which have no equal. He produced work - not for others, but solely for himself without any regard for exhibiting or selling the work to others.

Tichý's pictures were only known to a few until he won the 'New Discovery Award' at Arles. An exhibition of his work was also shown at the Kunsthaus Zürich in September 2005, and was one of the most curious and perhaps controversial photographic events of 2005. Tichý was born in 1926 in what is now the Czech Republic and studied painting at the Academy of Art in Prague until his arrest. We are delighted to be able to offer these unique works for sale in the UK and held a show of Tichý work in May 2006. This exhibition coincided with a show of works by Jacques Henri Lartigue of prints from his seminal 1962 MOMA show.