Frank Domin and Dominik Domin / Photographs

Burgrave's House at Klenová Castle

24.8. - 31.10. 2014, opening reception 23.8. 2014, 15:00

Frank Domin, Mexico

Písek native František Domin has spent the past 32 years living by the Pacific Ocean in the United States, specifically San Francisco. Although he has lived an adventurous and nomadic life, having held various jobs in other towns (České Budějovice, Frymburk, and Prague, followed by Madrid, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco), he never lost touch with his hometown.

In the 1970s, he began focusing his artistic interest on creative photography. At the time, he became intrigued in the little-known natural beauty of the Bohemian Forest (Šumava). In 1973, his desire to capture this beauty in a distinctive and personal manner led him to establish the “Nový svět” (“New World”) art group at the semi-isolated hamlet of Šindlov.

Many of the photographs that he has taken during his life were made here, and he and his colleagues won numerous awards at national photographic contests for photographic series from the Bohemian Forest, including “Glassmakers”, “Mr. Matouš’s Cabin”, and “Traveling with a Watering Can”.

František Domin continued to photograph after leaving the country in the 1980s. In fact, his work matured, professionalized, and eventually became his employment and source of livelihood. Black-and-white photography is gradually replaced by color, and his choice of subjects naturally changes his well. Instead of the Bohemian Forest, he now focused on the American continent and various parts of Europe.

His favorite destinations were France, Austria, Italy, and in recent years Bohemia again. His American work focused primarily on the documentation and artistic representation of architectural objects.

On his photographic journeys through Europe, he was accompanied by his son Dominik, who has been photographing since a young age, although he eventually chose to pursue an entirely different profession, studying theoretical chemistry at Berkeley. He is currently engaged in scientific research in Paris. Several of Dominik’s photographs are included among Frank Domin’s works exhibited in the burgrave’s house at Klenová.

Helena Fenclová

Písek native František Domin has spent the past 32 years living by the Pacific Ocean in the United States, specifically San Francisco. Although he has lived an adventurous and nomadic life, having held various jobs in other towns (České Budějovice, Frymburk, and Prague, followed by Madrid, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco), he never lost touch with his hometown.

In the 1970s, he began focusing his artistic interest on creative photography. At the time, he became intrigued in the little-known natural beauty of the Bohemian Forest (Šumava). In 1973, his desire to capture this beauty in a distinctive and personal manner led him to establish the “Nový svět” (“New World”) art group at the semi-isolated hamlet of Šindlov.

Many of the photographs that he has taken during his life were made here, and he and his colleagues won numerous awards at national photographic contests for photographic series from the Bohemian Forest, including “Glassmakers”, “Mr. Matouš’s Cabin”, and “Traveling with a Watering Can”.

František Domin continued to photograph after leaving the country in the 1980s. In fact, his work matured, professionalized, and eventually became his employment and source of livelihood. Black-and-white photography is gradually replaced by color, and his choice of subjects naturally changes his well. Instead of the Bohemian Forest, he now focused on the American continent and various parts of Europe.

His favorite destinations were France, Austria, Italy, and in recent years Bohemia again. His American work focused primarily on the documentation and artistic representation of architectural objects.

On his photographic journeys through Europe, he was accompanied by his son Dominik, who has been photographing since a young age, although he eventually chose to pursue an entirely different profession, studying theoretical chemistry at Berkeley. He is currently engaged in scientific research in Paris. Several of Dominik’s photographs are included among Frank Domin’s works exhibited in the burgrave’s house at Klenová.

Helena Fenclová