Roman Karel

* 1964

Svědci lokálních událostí z éry komunismu, The underground
21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia
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    The Engaged Artists Club

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    “Sometime around the year 1986 my friend Laďa Měrák, who had known Miloš Požár pretty well, appeared. We started seeing each other and the things each of us was creating. Miloš Požár also used to go to the parks in Uničov, so we started seeing each other a lot more. He then updated me on the current issues and it was with him that I first went to the Sovinec castle. I started going regularly. I even helped installing some exhibitions. Of Václav Boštík or Emila Medková for example. I even got close to the people making art themselves. Then this idea emerged, I think it came from Jindřich Štreit’s circle. There were always agents deployed on these events. Jindřich Štreit had had big troubles with the State Security agents. So we named it the Amateur Artists Club but secretly it was the Engaged Artists Club. After about two years we managed to convince the heads of the cultural centers that we needed an exhibit space and that we wanted to make exhibitions. It took a long time to make it happen. After two years of efforts, we were finally allowed our first exhibition in 1989. We managed to bring to life beautiful exhibitions there, mainly thanks to Jindřich Štreit’s contacts.”

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    Coexistence of the ‘Čtverka’ pub community and the State Security

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    “It came as a surprise to me how such a strong community could occupy one restaurant somewhere. It was like a dream come true because there had been nothing in Rýmařov, just cops everywhere. There had been some kind of a deal between the cops [and the community]. It had developed since the 1960s and everyone knew each other. But even when it comes to the parks where they organized exhibitions, I know they were called in sometimes and had to explain some things but I don’t remember any major police interventions. But that was the late 1980s already. The first events had taken place elsewhere and had been much more private than the ones in the park.”

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    The ‘Čtverka’ pub in Uničov

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    “I associate the ‘Čtverka’ pub with the culture of the ‘Modré invence’ (Blue Inventions) band, it was a generation that was five or even ten years older than us. They had known each other since school, but a big pack of people, who started communicating and visiting each other, emerged around the ‘Modré invence’ band. It didn’t happen much in and around Rýmařov, the place was remote and dirty, like I said. So folks from Rýmařov would go to Uničov with their friends and that’s where we later started going too. It was like a centerpiece to us and an encounter with something different than what had been publicly declared.”

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    Olomouc, 22.10.2019

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We escaped elsewhere, not participating in the public life

Roman Karel, 1990s
Roman Karel, 1990s
photo: archiv pamětníka
photo: archiv pamětníka
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Roman Karel, born March 1, 1964 in Rýmařov, grew up in the family of Jiří and Jarmila, née Slouková. During the second renewal of Scouting in Czechoslovakia, his older brother and he were members of a Scout group. Thanks to his father, a teacher of history, Czech language and also archeology, he took part in the explorations of the Hrádek medieval fort and the Slavonic settlement by the Podolský stream. He has been interested in fine arts since childhood and has also gravitated towards music thanks to his father. He started his first band ‘Inventář’ (Inventory) in high school. When growing up, he was shaped primarily by the influence of his father and his uncle Bedřich Karel, who associated with the dissent environment and with the Democratic Initiative during the Normalization period. After graduation Roman started working in the Hedva company in Rýmařov and later changed to Okál where he worked as a quality inspector. He attended concerts of underground bands and illegal exhibitions in Uničov and Sovinec in the 1980s. Together with his friends he founded the Amateur Artists Club (KAV) shortly before the revolution. In 1989 he signed the ‘Několik vět’ petition. He joined the Civic Forum in Rýmařov in the first days of the Velvet Revolution and became a member of its coordination center. He currently plays drums in the band Sibérija and helps run the Octopus gallery in Rýmařov.

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Photos (10)
  • J. Jílek's exhibition, November 18, 1989, Rýmařov
    J. Jílek's exhibition, November 18, 1989, Rýmařov
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Members of the high school band 'Inventář', guitarist of 'Modrá invence' Ant. Joni on the right, mid 1980s, Dolní Moravice
    Members of the high school band 'Inventář', guitarist of 'Modrá invence' Ant. Joni on the right, mid 1980s, Dolní Moravice
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Trip in the surroundings of Rýmařov, future wife Renata on the left, circa 1986
    Trip in the surroundings of Rýmařov, future wife Renata on the left, circa 1986
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Zdeněk "Džuky" Vyhlídal, figure of the Uničov meetings
    Zdeněk "Džuky" Vyhlídal, figure of the Uničov meetings
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Visit to the sculptor and painter Luboš Dostál in Horní Loděnice, early 1990s
    Visit to the sculptor and painter Luboš Dostál in Horní Loděnice, early 1990s
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Installation of a kinetic sculpture by the artist and architect from Olomouc Jiří Žlebek (squatting) on the roof of the cultural centre in Rýmařov, one of the first exhibitions of the KAV group, 1989
    Installation of a kinetic sculpture by the artist and architect from Olomouc Jiří Žlebek (squatting) on the roof of the cultural centre in Rýmařov, one of the first exhibitions of the KAV group, 1989
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • The parks of Uničov exhibition, circa 1987/1988
    The parks of Uničov exhibition, circa 1987/1988
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Roman Karel's first exhibition after the revolution at the castle in Bruntál with Bolek Doboš (Zlaté Hory)
    Roman Karel's first exhibition after the revolution at the castle in Bruntál with Bolek Doboš (Zlaté Hory)
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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  • Roman Karel, 2019
    Roman Karel, 2019
    photo: ED natáčení PB
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  • Roman Karel, 1990s
    Roman Karel, 1990s
    photo: archiv pamětníka
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Links (1)

Galerie Octopus

  • date:
    01.01.1970
  • medium type:
    Internet
  • medium name:
    Muzeum Rýmařov