There are (and have been) many photographic exhibitions based on Jewish heritage. Photos of Jewish cemeteries are especially favourite subjects. We don’t highlight every exhibit, but we find one this summer on Jewish cemeteries in the Czech Republic particularly striking in its theme and imagery.
Called “Old Trees in Jewish Cemeteries,” it focuses on the evocative relationship between nature, culture, ecology, and history.
It also presents a reality that sometimes puts aesthetics and monuments protection in confrontation, if not conflict.
The exhibit, which includes 33 panels, is organized by the non-profit Tachov Archives and Museum Society (TAMUS), in association with the Tachov-based Museum of the Bohemian Forest.
The photos are by Fred Chvatal, who heads TAMUS — and the exhibit is the current version of an exhibition that has been presented other times over the past decade.
It is currently on show at the Bavaria Bohemia Center in Schönsee, Germany and will be on show at the Zbiroh Culture Station, a rehabilitated train station (July 1 – August 31); and in the former synagogue of Ckyne, now a cultural venue (June 25 – August 31).