This summer, Stills Gallery will present the first exhibition in Scotland dedicated to the work of Prague-born, UK-based photographer, Markéta Luskačová. The exhibition will concentrate on Luskačová’s photographs of children, a subject that permeates almost all of her work.
As seen in the series, ‘Citizen 2000’ (1986-2000) and in her work from the 1960s onwards documenting: Pilgrims; Juvenile Jazz Bands in the North of England; Durham Cathedral and Chorister School; London markets; Chiswick Women’s Aid; and carnivals in the Czech Republic, for several years when this was the main subject of her photography.
Luskačová was born in 1944 and became a freelance photographer in 1968 whilst undertaking postgraduate studies in Photography at the Academy of Film and Fine Arts, Prague. She relocated to London in 1975 and was a Nominee Photographer with Magnum Photographic Agency, Paris from 1976-80. Since 1971, Luskačová’s work has featured in exhibitions around the world and notable solo exhibitions have been held at the V&A, London (1983-84); Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, then a branch of the V&A, London (1989) Whitechapel Gallery, London (1991); Stills Gallery, Sydney, Australia (1998); Leica Gallery, Prague (2014); Tate Britain, London (2018-19) and The Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol (2019).
Stills Director Ben Harman says “We are really excited to present the first exhibition in Scotland dedicated to the photography of Markéta Luskačová. Markéta has made a valuable and unique contribution to photography since the 1960s through her distinctive, curious and tender picturing of people, communities and places in the UK and abroad. Although she is highly regarded and well respected for her work, it is generally acknowledged that her photography has consistently been overlooked in favour of work by her male peers. Over time, Markéta’s pictures have gained in historic significance as many of the subjects of her photographs – people, places, communities and ways of life – have changed or disappeared. Our exhibition will be made up of photographs that depict children – a subject that permeates much of her work.”
Associated events will be announced later this spring.
The exhibition takes place as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2023 (11th -27th August).
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 