IVAN VALA / (UN)COMMON

BURGRAVE´S HOUSE AT KLENOVÁ CASTLE

29. 3. – 10. 5. 2015, opening reception 28 March 2015 at 5pm

Ivan Vala was born in Pilsen in 1964, where he still lives today. After studying at the local gymnasium (1978–1982), he worked as an assistant cameraman at Krátký Film Praha (1983–1986), followed by the study of artistic photography at FAMU (1986–1989).

He has been photographing for more than 25 years, primarily in black-and-white. In the late 1980s, he exhibited at group exhibitions, including shows in Munich and Amsterdam. From 1987 to 1989, he was banned from exhibiting in Czechoslovakia, and his all his exhibitions were taken down.

Since the 1990s he has also created drawings, objects, graphic art, and applied design: He founded his own graphic art, photographic, and design studio in 1990, and in 1994 a book by Jiří Kolář designed by Vala was named Book of the Year. Since 2005, he has taught photography and graphic design at the Secondary School of Applied Art in Pilsen.