Born in Humpolec, 26 April 1970
After graduating from the nursing college at the department of physiotherapy in Brno in 1988 Alena worked in Prague in a sanatorium for long-term patients and for children with combined handicaps (1988 - 1992). She studied at the Still Photography Department, Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU, 1993-2000). Alena focuses on documentary projects and she acts as the curator of photographic exhibitions.
Alena is a freelance photographer, co-founder of the Choiceimages Photo Agency, member of the Czech Association of Professional Photographers, the Czech Syndicate of Journalists and the Protective Authors Organisation - Association.
Alena works together with Viktor Fischer. They no longer individually credit their works of photography, instead now publishing and presenting their work in exhibitions as joint authors.
AWARDS AND GRANTS:
2001
Nominated for World Press Photo - Joop Swart Masterclass 2001
1996
Czech Photo / for PRO - HELVETIA / Czech Society in Photography, together with other photographers
EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION):
2001
- Garden on Želivka River, Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, Humpolec
- 1999 - Czech Society in Photography, G4 gallery, Cheb, group exhibition
- Garden on Želivka River, Žlutá ponorka gallery, Znojmo
2000
-1999 - Czech Society in Photography, Former Burgrave's House, Prague Castle, group exhibition
- Exhibition of Graduates from Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts New Town Hall Gallery, Prague, group exhibition
1998
- Group exhibition of FAMU students, Wiemar, Germany
- Crimes of Communism, Dominican Monastery in Rajhrad, group exhibition
1997
- Objectivity, group exhibition of students of Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU), U Řečických gallery, Prague
- Group exhibition of FAMU students, Philosophical Faculty, Charles University, Prague
- Liturgical Year, House of Arts, Brno, group exhibition
Viktor Fischer
Born in Prague, 28 March 1967
After graduating from the technical college in 1985 Viktor Fischer worked as a construction foreman.
Viktor was introduced to the basics of photography during his military service. He later became a member of the Photographic Club in the Metal Industry Culture Centre, attended the Prague School of Photography (1987-1990) and in 1989 he studied at the Institute of Creative Photography. He is a graduate of the Still Photography Department, Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU, 1990-1997). During his studies he worked as a night watchman. After graduation Viktor has focused on documentary photography. He acts as the curator of photographic exhibitions. He is a freelance photographer, co-founder of the Choiceimages Photo Agency, member of the Czech Association of Professional Photographers, the Czech Syndicate of Journalists and the Protective Authors Organisation - Association.
Viktor works together with Alena Dvořáková. They no longer individually credit their works of photography, instead now publishing and presenting their work in exhibitions as joint authors.
AWARDS AND GRANTS:
1998
Czech Press Photo - 2nd prize (Daily Life - Series) Onšovice Farm
1997
Grant of Universities' Development Fund (FRVŠ), in cooperation with Ing. Věra Dvořáková - Janů, CSc. (Onšovice Farm)
1994
Grant for Koridor project /under the leadership of Jaroslav Bárta/
EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION):
2000
- Short Life of a Dog Called Lord, Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, Humpolec
- Onšovice Farm, Short Life of a Dog Called Lord, National Museum of Agriculture, Prague
1997
Exhibition of Graduates from Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts National Technical Museum, Prague, group exhibition
1992
Ways of a Tree, Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, Humpolec
1991
Free Photography, Dresden, group exhibition
1991
Free photography, Luka gallery, Prague
1990
Free Photography, Melantrich gallery, Prague
1990
Czechoslovak November 1989, Mánes, Prague
Alena Dvořáková and Viktor Fischer / joint work
AWARDS AND GRANTS:
2009
- Czech Press Photo - 2nd prize - (Nature Stories), The Natural Sulfur Water Spa
- Sony World Photo Photography Awards finalist / Photojournalism and Documentary
2008
- Sony World Photo Photography Awards finalist / Photojournalism and Documentary
- Sony World Photo Photography Awards finalist / Nature
- Czech Press Photo - 3nd prize - (Nature Stories), The Shark Tunnel, Tenerife Island
- Prix Pictet 2008 - the Nomination for the Czech Republic
2007
- Grant FotoSkoda
- Czech Press Photo - 1st prize - Golden Eye (General News - Series) Clean Monday,
- Czech Press Photo - 1st prize - Golden Eye (Daily Life - Series) The Tallest Czech, Tomas Pustina
- Czech Press Photo - The Photo Art magazine Prize - Clean Monday
- Czech Press Photo - Digi Foto magazine Price - The Tallest Czech, Tomas Pustina,
2006
- Grant of Prague 6 - Villages in Prague project in cooperation with Ing. Věra Dvořáková - Janů, CSc.
- Grant FotoSkoda
- Luminary of Czech Photography 2005 - bronze medal, by the Association of Professional Photographers of the Czech Republic
2005
- Czech Press Photo - 3nd prize - (Nature Stories), The Gale in High Tatras
2004
- Czech Press Photo - 2nd prize - (Nature Stories), Fishermen Community in Humpolec, Czech Republic, for the National Geographic CR 1999 - Czech Press Photo - 3rd prize (Daily Life - Series) Kazakhstan - Mission
2003
- Czech Press Photo -1st prize - Golden Eye (General News - Series) Birds' Suffering,
2002
- Nomination - World Press Photo - Joop Swart Masterclass 2002
2002
- Leica Oscar Barnack Award - final, best six participants
2002
- Czech Press Photo - UNICEF Award
- Czech Press Photo - 3rd prize (Daily Life - Series) - Mission - Czech Republic
- Czech Press Photo - 2nd prize (Sports - Series) Ice-hockey Tournament
- Czech Press Photo - 2nd prize (Spot News - Series) Fight for Ancient Prague
2001
- Czech Press Photo - 1st prize - Golden Eye (Daily Life - Series) Mission - Argentina, Chile
2000
- Honeywell grant - Villages in Prague, together with Ing. Věra Dvořáková - Janů, CSc
- Grant of Prague 6 - Villages in Prague, together with Ing. Věra Dvořáková - Janů, CSc
- Czech Press Photo - 3rd prize (Daily Life - Series) South Africa - Mission,
- Grant awarded by Prague 1 for the exhibition of Mission - Kazakhstan in the Prague House of Photography
AUTHORS AND CURATORS (SELECTION):
2009
- The Stories of the Floods, group exhibition, in cooperation with the ADRA of the Czech Republic, Nový Jičín
2003
- Personalities of Documentary Photography, Association of Photographers of the Czech Republic, Fronta gallery, Prague. Re-run - National Museum of Photography in Jindřichův Hradec, G4 gallery in Cheb and Czech Centre in Stockholm.
2002
- The Floods 2002 - Photographers in Aid of People Affected by Floods, together with 33 other authors, re-run in 14 countries / in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Czech Centres Administration, the Ministry of the Environment and ADRA humanitarian organisation
2001
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, 30 authors, 25 projects, exhibition concept, selection of photographs and production. Former Burgrave House, Prague Castle
2000
- The Valley of Happiness - exhibition of a group of photographers on the occasion of the 88th birthday of the late Abbot Vít Bohumil Tajovský, St. Vitus' Church, Pelhřimov
1998
- Almata - House of Friendship, within the framework of 'Kruglyj stol' meeting, Franciscan Monastery
EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION):
2009
- Via Lucius 1989-2009, Brussels and the Month of Photography - Bratislava, group exhibition
- Golden Fund of the National Museum of Photography, Congress Centre of CNB, Prague, group exhibition
- The Tallest Czech, Galerie auf der Pawlatsche, Wien / Centre FotoŠkoda, Prague
- Choice Images, Photographic Gallery, Prague, group exhibition
- Photobiennale, Rome, Italy, group screen show
2008
- Charter 77 - 30th Anniversary, Leica Galley Prague, group exhibition, Choice Images
- A Picture Chronicle of a Day in the Czech Republic, Prague, Brno, Ostrava, group exhibition
- Czech Photography of the 20th Century, Landes Museum Bon, Germany, group exhibition
- The Tallest Czech, Žlutá Ponorka Gallery, Znojmo
- Onšovice Farm, Noorderlicht International Photofestival, NL, group exhibition
- Missions, Kino Hvězda Gallery, Uherské Hradiště
- Festival of Photo-documentary, Missions and One Hour of War, Poznan, Poland, group exhibition
- Czech Press Photo 2008, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
2007
- Vilem Heckel Peaks, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
- Charter 77 - 30th anniversary, Choice Agency group exhibition, Czech Centres Administration
- Noorderlicht International Photofestival - Act of Faith, group exhibition, Groningen, NL
- Missions, Galerie auf der Pawlatsche, Wien
- ADRA office, interior installation
- Czech Press Photo 2007, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
- Documentary Photography and Discrimination, Prague Multicultural Center, group exhibition
2006
- Missions, Fiducia Gallery Ostrava
- Missions, G4 Gallery, Cheb
- Villages in Prague - Suchdol, Gallery of Prague 6
- Choice Images - Month of Photography in Bratislava, group exhibition
- Czech Press Photo 2006, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
2005
- Missions, Festival of the Art of Photography, Lodz, Poland
- Missions, Pep + No Name Photogallery, Basel, Switzerland
- Missions, Old Town Hall, Prague
- Missions, Gallery, Zvíkov Castle
- Czech Photography of the 20th Century, Municipal Library, Prague, group exhibition
- Month of Photography in Bratislava
- Czech Press Photo 2005, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
2004
- Birds' Suffering, Žlutá ponorka gallery, Znojmo
- Personalities of Documentary Photography, Association of Photographers of the Czech Republic, G4 gallery, Cheb, group exhibition
- Czech Press Photo 2004, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
2003
- Personalities of Documentary Photography, Association of Photographers of the Czech Republic, Fronta gallery, Prague, group exhibition
- Personalities of Documentary Photography, Association of Photographers of the Czech Republic, National Museum of Photography, Jindřichův Hradec, group exhibition
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, North Bohemia Museum, Liberec, group exhibition
- Personalities of Documentary Photography, Association of Photographers of the Czech Republic, Czech Centre in Stockholm, group exhibition
- Czech Press Photo 2003, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibitio
2002 - 2003
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, Moravian Gallery
- Governor's Palace, Brno, group exhibition
2002
- Mission - Kazakhstan, Šternberk gallery
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, G4 gallery - Cheb, group exhibition
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, Czech Centre, Moscow, group exhibition
- Golden Fund, National Museum of Photography, Jindřichův Hradec, group exhibition
- The Floods 2002 - Photographers in Aid of People Affected by Floods, re-run in Budapest, Bratislava, Brno, The Hague, Kiev, London, Paris, Munich, New York, Los Angeles, Warsaw, Vienna, Sofia, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Dresden and in the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the Czech Centres Administration, the Ministry of the Environment and ADRA humanitarian organisation, group exhibition
- What Was Not Carried Away by Water, Leica Gallery Prague, auction in aid of people affected by floods
- Exhibition and auction in aid of the flooded Prague House of Photography, Tidal Wave Gallery, Hereford Photography Festival
- After the Flood, Mánes gallery, Prague, rerun within the framework of the Month of Photography in Bratislava, group exhibition
- Prague under Water, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
- Documentary Film Festival - Czech Season in France 2002, Rouen, France group exhibition
- Czech Press Photo 2002, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
2001
- Mission - Kazakhstan, South Africa, G4 gallery, Cheb
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, Former Burgrave House, Prague Castle, group exhibition
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, gallery of the Kiev National Taras Shevchenko University, group exhibition
2000
- Short Life of a Dog Called Lord, Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, Humpolec
- The Valley of Happiness, St. Vitus' Church, Pelhřimov, together with Pavel Dias, Evžen Sobek, re-run: permanent exposition in Želiv monastery
- Mission - South Africa, Prague
- Onšovice Farm, Short Life of a Dog Called Lord, National Museum of Agriculture, Prague
- Treasure of Želiv / European Heritage Discoveries /Museum of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, photographic involvement in the exhibition
- Mission - South Africa, Žlutá ponorka gallery, Znojmo
- Mission - Kazakhstan, Prague House of Photography, Prague
- Mission - South Africa, Městská kina gallery, Uherské Hradiště
- Czech Press Photo 2000, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
- Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990 - 2000, Senate of the Czech Republic, Prague, group exhibition
1999
- Onšovice Farm, Žlutá ponorka gallery, Znojmo
- Mission - Kazakhstan, Dominican Monastery in Rajhrad
- Mission - Kazakhstan, Barberton, South Africa
- Czech Press Photo 1999, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
1998
- Prosaic Celebrations, Plasy - together with Daniel Šperl, Jindřich Štreit, re-run at Zvíkov castle
- Crimes of Communism Dominican Monastery in Rajhrad, group exhibition
- Onšovice Farm, Czech University of Agriculture in Prague
- Alamata, House of Friendship, within the framework of 'Kruglyj stol' meeting, Franciscan Monastery, together with Daniel Šperl, Petr Zinke
- Czech Press Photo 1998, Old Town Hall, Prague, group exhibition
1992
- Ways of a Tree, Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, Humpolec
1991
- Free Photography, Dresden, group exhibition
1991
- Free photography, Luka gallery, Prague
1990
- Free Photography, Melantrich gallery, Prague
- Czechoslovak November 1989, Mánes gallery, Prague
REPRESENTATION IN COLLECTIONS:
National Museum of Photography - Jindřichův Hradec, Museum of Decorative Arts - Prague, Moravian Gallery - Brno, Museum of Photography - Benešov, Prague House of Photography - Prague, Private collections in the Czech Republic, South Africa, the USA, and Switzerland.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Česká fotografie 20. století [Czech Photography of the 20th Century], Vladimír Birgus, Jan Mlčoch, UPM/KANT, Praha, 2009,
- Člověk musí hořeti [A Man Must be Burning with Enthusiasm], Aleš Palán, Jan Paulas, Karmelitánské nakladatelství, Praha, 2009,
- Jeden den České republiky [One Day in the Czech Republic], Frey, s.r.o., Brno, 2008,
- Via Lucius, Tomáš Pospěch, KANT, Praha, 2009,
- Czech Press Photo - 15 years, Czech Photo, o.p.s, Praha, 2009,
- Behind walls, Noorderlicht 15, Groningen, 2008,
- Act of Faith, Noorderlicht 14, Groningen, 2007,
- Neustále hledáme [We Keep Searching], Petr Vilgus, Digifoto 9/2007,
- Misie [Missions], Alena Dvořáková, Viktor Fischer, Kant, Praha 2004,
- Česká dokumentární fotografie na počátku nového tisíciletí [Czech Documentary Photography at the Beginning of the New Century], Daniel Petřina, diploma thesis, FAMU, Praha, 2004,
- Czech Press Photo - 10 years, Czech Photo, o.p.s, Praha, 2004,
- Idyla za viaduktem [Idyll behind the Viaduct], Petr Třešňák, Respekt 5/2002,
- Portfolio Alena Dvořáková a Viktor Fischer, Rudolf Stáhlich, Foto Video 9/2002,
- Propojení obrazem - Česká humanitární fotografie 1990-2000 [Image Link - Czech Humanitarian Photography 1990-2000], Jiří Pátek, Host 10/2002,
- AIDS, Jan Konvalinka, Ladislav Machala, Vesmír 6/2001
- Svět, kde barva nerozhoduje [The World where Colour Does not Matter], Magazín Dnes č.46/2001
- Fotografie české společnosti [Photography of the Czech Society], Jaroslav Bárta, Foto-video 5/2000,
- Misie [Missions], Aleš Palán, Katolický týdeník, 8.8.1999,
- Portfolio, Alena Dvořáková, Viktor Fischer, Věra Matějů, Fotografie - Magazín 10/2000,
- Misie [Missions], Koktejl 10/2000
- Fotografie české společnosti [Photography of the Czech Society], Jaroslav Bárta, JB, 2000,
- Lidé a jídlo [People and Food], Věra Dvořáková-Janů, ISV, Praha, 1999,
- Objektivita [Objectiveness], FAMU, Praha, 1997,
- Česká fotografie náboženských poutí [Czech Photography of Religious Pilgrimages], Jarmila Šimáňová, diploma thesis - ITF FPF - Slezské univerzity, 1998