Perhaps the name Bohumil Konečný doesn’t ring a bell, but you’ve almost certainly come across his work at least once in your life. The work of this Czech painter and illustrator accompanied the childhoods of many generations of readers of adventure literature, magazines, and comics – for example, the legendary Rychlé šípy.
He was also known for his advertising work for companies such as Baťa, Pilsner Urquell, and Petrof. And since Bohumil Konečný was a native of Pilsen, we organized an exhibition opening presenting a cross-section of his work at the Pilsen House in Brussels. Stop by—the exhibition is on view until September 9.
On Thursday, April 23, the opening of the exhibition “Bohumil Konečný: A Forgotten Genius” took place at the House of the Permanent Representation of the Pilsen Region in Brussels. The exhibition was inaugurated with a speech by Regional Councillor Ing. Libor Picka, who highlighted what made the work of Bohumil Konečný—known as “Bimba”—so exceptional: “Bimba Konečný’s work accompanied the childhoods of many generations of readers of adventure literature, magazines, and comics, and through his work he influenced a number of famous contemporaries and successors with renowned names; yet today he is far less well known than, for example, Zdeněk Burian or Kája Saudek.” This was further elaborated in a speech by Jan Hosnedl, director of the grammar school at Mikulášské Square in Pilsen and a researcher who has devoted a significant part of his life to Konečný’s work: “Just a few years ago, if you had entered Bohumil Konečný’s name into Wikipedia, you would have found nothing.”
Guests at the event could explore further details of Bimba Konečný’s life and artistic output through nearly thirty exhibition panels displayed throughout the premises of the Pilsen Region’s permanent representation in Brussels. Additional insights and memories were presented in a documentary film about Konečný, screened on a large screen on the ground floor of the building. The festive atmosphere of the opening was enhanced by a vocal performance from students of the grammar school at Mikulášské Square in Pilsen, led by Šárka Boudová.
