Czech photographer Zdeněk Vošický was born in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, a seemingly untouched area of stunning natural beauty. The topography has informed the lens-based artist’s work ever since. “As a little boy, I spent a lot of time in a small, remote country cottage, which has neither running water nor electricity. However, it sat amidst beautiful natural surroundings. It was at this cottage that I first laid my hands on a camera, given to me by my father. And as they say, the rest is history.” The series Krajina depicts rolling hills that stretch far beyond the frame. The land varies from rich greens to deep crimson, whilst others subtly change hues as the land rises and falls.
The artist’s parents were both pilots of sport aeroplanes and Vošický soon took to the skies himself. “Thanks to the close relationship I have with flying, I started capturing aerial photographs. In those days, before the arrival of drones, this was a completely different type of adventure. I would sit in the open doorway of the plane, so I experienced many dramatic conditions over almost 20 years, as well as so much beauty and adventure.” The result of these excursions was a photobook, created with the support of local councillors. It was the publication of this volume that saw photography transition from a hobby to a full-time career, which has since gone from strength to strength.
The minimalist images are often the product of patience and repeatedly returning to the same site. Vošický has been photographing his home country for years and still feels there is much he still wants to capture. The desire to document the natural environment in its seasonal transitions is clear. In one image, the little Chapel of saint Barbara is framed by bushy trees, the tip of a dense green forest visible in the background. The same structure, in an picture taken a few years later, the surrounding trees are bare and spindly and a gentle autumnal mist drifts into the foreground.
Vošický’s work has won several prestigious prizes in competitions such as Sony World Photography Awards, World Masters of Photography Award, reFocus Awards, ND Awards, Fine Art Photography Awards, MonoVisions Photography Awards, Chromatic Awards and Siena Creative Photo Awards.
All images courtesy of the artist.
