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The exhibition Cestohledy offers not only a visual experience but also insight into how certain themes can be incorporated into classroom teaching. Many of the works have a clearly defined educational overlap, as they were created as outcomes of semester projects or final theses under the guidance of the teachers of the Department of Art Education and Culture. The exhibition is the result of collaboration across year groups, study specializations, and forms of study at FPE UWB, both in Pilsen and in Cheb. Visitors can view works by students of art education as well as future preschool and primary school teachers.

“The exhibition gives space to authentic creations made during the course of study, reflecting the sensitivity and curiosity that are characteristic of the visual arts,” said Jakub Havlíček from the Department of Art Education and Culture at FPE, who led and curated the exhibition. According to him, diversity plays a key role – whether thematic, content-based, material, or technical: “Cestohledy includes painting, graphics, photography, installations, spatial objects, ceramics, porcelain, textiles, and artist books. Each student brings their own personal visual language.” The exhibition is also a showcase of the individual artistic approach to teaching of the department's teachers and refers to the diversity of the art education programme at the department.

The exhibited student works showcase a wide range of approaches to both artistic creation and pedagogical thinking. One example is Comet of Hope, an artist book by Eva Kumštová. “This book, intended for young school-age children, stands out through its original combination of illustrations, text, and a sensory-rich selection of materials. The author uses different types of paper to expand the perception of multicultural coexistence. But it's not just about aesthetics—the book contains educational elements and creative tasks that stimulate the reader’s imagination and skills,” Havlíček explained.

Another featured work is Flirt, a ceramic collection by Alena Felger, which explores interpersonal communication in the digital age. The artist uses ceramics as a medium to express emotions and symbolism. The didactic part of the project offers exercises on how to address this theme in art education.

Sabina Zlochová, author of a painting cycle focused on depicting animals in landscapes, portrays the poetry of rural life and natural scenery through four large-format canvases, inspired by personal childhood memories. In the educational component, she proposes art activities for primary school pupils that combine nature themes with visual art techniques and environmental education.

The students appreciated both the opportunity to exhibit and the choice of venue: “It’s both a challenge and a joy – to exhibit outside the university environment, even outside the Pilsen region, and to think about how visitors perceive the exhibition. It helped me better understand how I work with my own motifs,” said one of the exhibitors. Another student added: “The Gothic spaces of the Kadaň gallery have a unique atmosphere. The installation, designed in collaboration between Jakub Havlíček and gallery curator Zdeňka Bílková, worked with the genius loci and made the most of the location.”

The choice of the Kadaň gallery was no coincidence: “The Josef Liesler Gallery has long aimed to foster an open dialogue with the public, offer refined presentation of visual art, and support diverse artistic and educational approaches. This creates an environment that is far from indifferent, bland, or closed off. On the contrary, it stimulates interest, develops cultural sensitivity, and emphasizes both content and form,” said Havlíček.

In September, the exhibition will be complemented by a guided tour and an art evening for the general public (September 9 at 5:00 PM), as well as a workshop for children from the Sluníčková School in Kadaň (September 11). In both events, the students themselves will play a significant role. “We hope the exhibition will appeal not only to visual art enthusiasts but also to teachers, parents, and prospective students. It is a demonstration of how artistic exploration can be meaningfully connected with a pedagogical mission,” concluded Jakub Havlíček.