Jaromír Funke
1896–1945
Biography
Jaromír Funke (Czech, 1896–1945) studied medicine, law, art history, and philosophy before turning his attention to photography in 1920. At first he photographed Neue Sachlichkeit still lifes and landscapes before devoting himself to photograms and abstract compositions. In 1922 the experimental line in Funke’s artistic work began with the use of geometric still lifes, which developed into nonfigurative shadowgraphs (1927–1929). From the end of the 1920s Funke worked on his lifetime project of emotional photography, which also incorporated a reaction to Surrealism. He influenced Czechoslovak photography both as a theorist and as a teacher. From 1931 on Funke taught photography in Bratislava, from 1935 to 1944 he was professor at the National Design School in Prague. He became a spokesman for Czech avant-garde photography and was a member of progressive photography associations. Josef Sudek numbered among his close friends. Along with Jaroslav Rössler, Funke occupies a place in the international context of photography similar to that occupied by František Kupka in painting.
Exhibitions
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50 YEARS | 50 PHOTOGRAPHSselected by Wilhelm SchürmannApr 26 — Dec 20, 2024
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HIGHLIGHTSSep 12, 2018 — Feb 28, 2019
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1974… 40 Years. 40 PhotographsSep 20, 2014 — Feb 26, 2015
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Happy Birthday PhotographyVintage Photographs from 1840–1956Aug 01 — Sep 30, 1989
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Jaromír FunkeMasterprints der 20er und 30er JahreFeb 02 — Mar 24, 1984
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Jaromír Funke 1896 - 1945Jan 29 — Mar 06, 1977
Publications
Newsletters
Press
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Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Mahlstrom der Bilder
Nov 11, 2017
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Le Figaro: Paris Photo, l'aboratoire d'images
Nov 10, 2017
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Der Tagesspiegel: Freier Fall. Tschechische Fotoklassiker bei Kicken Berlin
Jul 14, 2007
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Die Welt: Visionäre tschechische Fotografie in der Galerie Kicken Berlin
Jul 14, 2007
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Die Welt: Licht und Schatten
Feb 05, 2006
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Das Kunstwerk: Jaromir Funke
Nov 01, 1976