ME! Bedřich Dlouhý at Museum Montanelli

ME! Bedřich Dlouhý
16 September 2026 – 30 June 2027
Wednesday–Sunday, 14:00–18:00
Museum Montanelli, Nerudova 13, Prague 1

Museum Montanelli presents a remarkable selection of works by Bedřich Dlouhý, one of the most distinctive figures of Czech post-war art. Drawn entirely from the museum’s own collection, the exhibition brings together paintings and objects that reveal Dlouhý’s unmistakable visual language – a singular interplay of meticulous painting, imagination, symbolism and subtle irony.

Rather than approaching the artist through a conventional chronological survey, the exhibition takes a more intimate path. It evokes memories of past encounters with Dlouhý and allows the atmosphere of the museum itself to enter into dialogue with his work. Ultimately, it leads visitors somewhere unexpected: into the world of the artist’s own studio, the private space in which much of his creative life unfolded.

Closely associated with the legendary Šmidrové group, Dlouhý developed an approach to painting that remained uniquely his own throughout his career. Precisely rendered details appear in unexpected contexts, transforming seemingly ordinary objects and situations into images that are at once unsettling, poetic and quietly enigmatic.

The works on view explore questions of identity, memory and the elusive boundary between reality and its artistic interpretation. They reward close attention: meanings emerge gradually, often hidden beneath the apparent surface of the image, inviting the viewer to look again and reconsider what initially seemed familiar.

By presenting works from its own collection, Museum Montanelli also reflects its long-standing commitment to Czech art and to preserving and sharing significant works with the public.

Curator: Dadja Altenburg Kohl
With thanks to: Petr Piskáček