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The biennial International Symposium of Jiří Trnka pays tribute to Jiří Trnka, an important Pilsen native whose work has influenced generations of artists, and brings together leading Czech and international artists, researchers and students. "This year's theme, Freedom is My Home, comes from the Old Testament story of Moses, but it also works today," explains the symposium's artistic director, illustrator Renáta Fučíková. "The question of freedom of movement, thought and expression resonates in today's world. The works of our guests and the contributions of theorists have been chosen to address some of these issues," she explained.

One of the highlights of the symposium will be the awarding of the Jiří Trnka Prizes, which will be presented to prominent figures in the world of art. This year, it will be Petr Sís, a well-known Czech illustrator, Joanna Concejo, a Polish illustrator who collaborates with Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk, and the Fondazione Štěpán Zavřel from Italy, which takes care of the legacy of this Czech artist. "I am extremely pleased that Jiří Trnka's family has agreed to host the international symposium. We are in personal contact. I am looking forward to having someone from the family come to the symposium again and personally present the trio of Jiří Trnka Prizes," said Renáta Fučíková.

Symposium celebrating freedom in all forms
The theme of freedom is reflected in all the activities of the symposium, including a rich accompanying programme for the public. Two young Czech illustrators, Nikola Logosová and Marto Kelbl, will bring the theme of freedom of movement and gender identity to children and adults alike. Eva Lustigová will present a book about her father, the writer Arnošt Lustig, and Martin Vopěnka will offer an insight into the life and legacy of Václav Havel through his new work.

The exhibitions will be on display at several venues in Pilsen. The Didactic Illustration students will present quotations from Arnošt Lustig and famous philosophical texts in the museum of the Pilsen City Hall. In the park in front of the Study and Research Library of the Pilsen Region there will be a project called Migratory Birds, which will present important personalities connected with migration through illustrations and comics. This unique exhibition was created in cooperation with the Frame Festival and the Czech Centres.

The symposium will also offer exhibitions of illustrations and sculptures. Forbidden literature will be on display at the Study and Research Library of the Pilsen Region, and an exhibition entitled Food as Ritual will be on display at the Great Synagogue. The culmination of the exhibition part will be an exposition of the works of this year's winners of the Jiří Trnka Awards in the Ladislav Sutnar Gallery.

Connecting generations and cultures under one roof
The Jiří Trnka Symposium has become a platform for artists, students and professionals from all over the world to meet. In addition to a rich educational programme, its main mission is to build bridges between generations and different cultures. "It was certainly Trnka's books that directed me to study illustration as a child. I loved his films A Midsummer Night's Dream and Old Czech Legends. I had a number of fairy tale books with his illustrations in my library. Even as a child, I perceived some of his technical methods and tried to imitate them - for example, scratching into a layer of oil pastel, working with expanded watercolour, with a black surface and fine dense drawing," says Renáta Fučíková, the artistic director of the symposium.

The Jiří Trnka International Symposium 2024 will be a unique opportunity for art lovers of all ages to be inspired, learn and engage in debates about the freedom that is the foundation of both artistic creation and human existence. The Symposium is traditionally held under the auspices of the family of Jiří Trnka and this year also under the auspices of the Minister of Culture Martin Baxa. This year's edition is financially supported by the Statutory City of Pilsen.

The accompanying programme for the public starts on 1 October. The international symposium itself, which will include an award ceremony, will take place from 22 to 24 October. The full programme, including exhibitions and events for the public, can be found on this website.