Press and Media in 2011:
December 2011
Article Title: EMIL HOLUB'S YEAR. THE VICTORIA FALLS IN HOLICE MUSEUM
Source: MF DNES - The Largest Respectable Newspapers in the Czech Republic, Notebook D - Pardubice Region DNES, Page D2, December 22, 2011/Stanislava Kralova
Shall already the year of 2012 be whatever, in the Pardubice Region, it will belong to the traveller Emil Holub. He is celebrating three anniversaries and also, it will be opened a new exhibition at his Museum in Holice. For his admirer Marie Imbrova, it will be an event.
HOLICE - Marie Imbrova was thirteen years old when she got to the Christmas eagerly awaited book on trip to the Land of the Mashukulumbwe by Emil Holub. The famous traveller and his stories then already, never in the life, left her. Thanks to Holub, she began studying African studies at the University and later she worked, thanks to him, at the Czech embassies in the sub-Saharan Africa and lived for years in Zimbabwe. How openly she admits, in Africa, she is rather than in the Czech Republic. And now, she is publishing as a tribute to the famous traveller a postcard with a Holub's map of the Victoria Falls from the year of 1879.
The famous Holice native will have next year promptly the three anniversaries. In October, 165 years will pass from his birth, and in February, 110 years since his death. And in 1872, he began his tour throughout Africa. And moreover - the African Museum in Holice will turn into a unique exhibition, where even the Victoria Falls or native huts with filmed life of Africans will not miss.
And therefore, Imbrova is preparing for the celebration already now.
The postcard with a Holub's map of the Victoria Falls should remind to the Czech public a piece of our own history and attract it to this water miracle of nature on the Zambezi. She herself visited this waterfalls fifteen times.
"Holub was not the first white man visiting the waterfalls, and so he fully respected the designation of David Livingstone, who named them after the Queen Victoria, in the Czech millieu, he used then the term Tides of Victoria. Of course, from the point of view of indigenous population, the waterfalls were known throughout all their settlement and called them The smoke that thunders," African studies expert says.
She describes that around the waterfalls it is a constant humidity, endemic birds and orchids are flourishing there. "One feels there like inside a boiler, or better yet, like in a great washing machine," she says. Holub got there for the first time in 1875 and then with his wife Ruzena. During the first stay he was single, and he went off into the interior of Africa, just when he had the money. "He was taken as an adventurer; by this mode of travelling, he hunted a lot to make a living. In primitive conditions, he was able to treat and operate, and thereby he was becoming a competitor to European doctors, and as well as to local shamans. He was slandered by them as an evil sorcerer. That is why perhaps, he had not even an indigenous name," Imbrova thinks.
An African studies expert searches for Bella, of which Holub took care
She still returns to Africa and in the available materials, she looks for his life. Perhaps, the greatest question marks in her are evoked by the fate of his ward, a little girl Bella from Botswana, which he paid off from a merchant who had her as a servant. Just the first question arises over her age. On the drawings, she looks like 12 years old, but other sources refer to her as an older one.
"Holub paid her the schools, so she knew minimum basics of German," Imbrova explains a not too well-known chapter of the Holub's life.
When Holub went to Africa for the second time, he fulfilled his promise and returns the girl to the Black Continent. He landed her with a recommendation letter on the coast to return to the family from which he took her.
"That does not fit to him. He behaved nice to everyone; he was receptive and looked after everyone. And suddenly, he does this; I can not explain it to myself. I found never and nowhere a document that Bella has successfully arrived to the original family. Considering that a little girl lives with you four years and is a part of the family and then we know nothing about her, it makes me quite worried," Imbrova admits.
The search for Bella and perhaps even after her children is a challenge for a Holub's fan into the future. She would like to find in Botswana traces of a literate little girl who lived under the influence of Holub and his wife.
"It could there be a record that she married and bore children. In a word, I would like to know how it happened with her," Imbrova dreams.
It bothers her, how Holub is often seen. Like a prodigal adventurer who squandered his exhibits, which he brought from his travels and gave them away. "This is exactly the moment when I do understand Holub. He wanted to talk about Africa, and when already the former Industrial Museum did not want his ethnographic collections and stuffed animals, to get them, at least, into the schools and to the public in general," she says.
Due to the Holub's reference, she is looking forward that after years, the Holice Museum will get a decent character. "The Museum needs it, and when David Vavra took it over, so it will end up well," Imbrova says. She does not want to write a book on Holub, but is willing to lecture about him and to import her postcards next year to the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. You can follow her on the website www.imbrova.cz and secure with her, alternatively, a postcard.
Stanislava Kralova
Picture No. 1: The smoke that thunders. The new exhibition in Holice will offer an environment evoking the Victoria Falls.
Picture No. 2: The teacher and his pupil. The story of explorer Emil Holub filled Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert, with enthusiasm in childhood. Her enthusiasm lasted until today.
Picture No. 3: Milan Steindler makes a ten-minute short film on Emil Holub.
December 2011
Article Title: NEW GENERATION IN TENGENEGE
Source: Journal "Cesky dialog - Czech Dialogue", Connecting Czechs at Home and Abroad, Edition Winter 2011, International Czech Club, Page 30/Marie Imbrova
December 2011
Article Title: EMIL HOLUB AND VICTORIA'S WATERFALLS
Source: Journal "Cesky dialog - Czech Dialogue", Connecting Czechs at Home and Abroad, Edition Winter 2011, International Czech Club, Page 15/Marie Imbrova, red (Editor), Marie Dolanska
Emil Holub and Victoria's Waterfalls
When I am going through the Czech history, I am always proud of the strong individuals who pushed our understanding and knowledge about the unknown a good piece forwards. Once, in this way, even Dr. Emil Holub (born 1847) impressed me and it is necessary to add that not even after 25 years of non systematic research in Czech archives and Sub-Saharan Africa, and a few realized exhibitions, this topic did not lose its attraction for me yet. On the contrary, I look forward to the next possible anniversaries and events, when it is possible to remind the work of this Czech traveller, explorer and cartographer. And so eagerly, I expect even the year 2012, when we will commemorate the 140th anniversary of his first African trip and the 110th anniversary of his death.
I like to travel to Patek nad Ohri, to where the Holub family moved in 1857 and the little Emil spent his childhood here. It was very inspiring. Apart from the usual boyish pranks, just here he began to plan his big trip to Africa, and among other things, that he wanted to compare to the Klaboch brothers, nephews of Benedict Roezl, who lived in Patek and thanks to their uncle, they knew that their future is linked to the collection of orchids in Southern America. Emil decided unequivocally in favour of black Africa.
How seriously, he was thinking about his future voyage of exploration, it is demonstrated by his interest in the miniature drawing, description, observation of the sky or by the building of archaeological collections and collecting natural specimens, supplemented by the shooting and stuffing birds during his high school years. These years, he began in The Lesser Town High School in Prague, but after a few months he transferred to the Eight Years High School in Zatec, which he ended successfully in 1866. For the study of medicine, Emil Holub decided purposefully because this profession seemed him the most convenient for his plans.
The Holub's stay in Prague, his contacts with Vojta Naprstek and conservator Frantisek Benes are well known, as well as the realized trips to the heart of the Black Continent, which he described in his travelogues "Seven Years in the Southern Africa" (1880) and "The Second Trip into the Interior of Southern Africa", "From Cape Town to the Land of the Mashukulumbwe" (1890). He stunned the Czech and Austrian public, both by generously organized exhibitions in Prague on Strelecky Island in 1879, and subsequently in Vienna in 1891 and then again in Prague in 1892, and he also broke up it by the marriage with Rose Hoff from Vienna, which he preferred against the girl from the Czech patriotic family.
Nevertheless, just she was still on his side when he was battling with the Mashukulumbwe tribe, who avoided Emil Holub's expedition to continues from the Kafue River farther to the North, she took care of him at times when malaria attacked him, and selflessly after his death in 1902, she kept his personal landmarks, which she later donated to the Memorial of Emil Holub's hometown, to Holice.
It is difficult to find a common moment of their life when they did not face pitfalls, difficulty of the route, diseases or misunderstanding of the society. However, when I travelled in the footsteps of Emil Holub in Africa, I was in Cape Town, Kimberley, near Panda Ma Tenga River, I crossed the Kafue River, I was always returning to the place where Emil Holub was amazed and enchanted and according to me filled with satisfaction. There were the Victoria Falls, which he, during the first stay in Africa, carefully described and mapped, and where he, in the second expedition, accompanied by friends, brought even his young wife.
The view and the presence near "The Smoke That Thunders", as is the indigenous name for the waterfalls, Emil Holub wanted to share with someone who believed in him and hoped in his dream ... After the Holub's death, Rosa never returned to the waterfalls, although she had an offer of Holub's friends, but she never let forget his cartographic work.
Marie Imbrova, Ph.D.
www.imbrova.cz
Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert, deals with the life and work of Emil Holub more than 25 years. After the research in the Czech and Austrian archives, she put her knowledge to good use in diplomatic services, when she has prepared a travelling exhibition of Emil Holub, which passed through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Republic of the South Africa..., she published many articles on Emil Holub and next year she plans to publish at her own expense a postcard with the first printed map of Victoria Falls from Holub's travelogue. As a permanent correspondent of the "Czech Dialogue", she promises that the interesting persons will be able to order it even through our editorial staff.
It's just a pity that in the year to which so significant Holub's anniversaries are falling, the National Museum has decided, for the time being, not to realize an exhibition in the Naprstek Museum, the Emil Holub's Memorial in Holice will be opened after a reconstruction at the earliest in May 2012 and so the first exhibition on Emil Holub next year will be in the Municipal Museum in Zatec, which opens it in the cooperation with the author of the article in February 2012.
red (Editor)
November 2011
Article Title: MODERN AFRICA IN CERNCICE
Source: Peruc Pages - Internet Magazine Not Only About Peruc, November 27, 2011/Plazik st.
The new exhibition in Cernice's Emil Julis Gallery is presenting not yet exhibited paintings and sculptures from the collections of Dr. Marie Imbrova and Ilona Bittnerova.
The last vernissage of the year took place on Sunday in the Emil Julis Gallery in Cerncice. Pavel "Vejr" Vejrazka is exhibiting here comtemporary African art from Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Senegal from the collections of Dr. Marie Imbrova and Ilona Bittnerova. The foreword was delivered by Associate Professor Dr. Josef Kandert, a social anthropologist, specializing in the area of Africa. He, briefly, informed the present participants on the development of modern art on the African continent in the second half of the 20th century. In the present, one of the main centres is the Zimbabwean Tengenenge sculpture community. This community is in the Czech Republic, and mainly in the Louny Region, known thanks to Dr. Imbrova from Cernochov, which is visiting it for years and is helping particularly to the children ...
You can read the entire article at www.iperuc.cz (available in Czech language only).
You can see the photos from this vernissage at plazik.rajce.idnes.cz
November 2011
Article Title: AFRICAN ABSTRACTIONS WILL DECORATE THE EMIL JULIS GALLERY
Source: Zatecky a lounsky denik.cz - Culture, November 20, 2011, 10:53 a.m./Editor
Cerncice - The exhibition in Cerncice near Louny will introduce to the visitors so far unexhibited African paintings and statues.
An exhibition named "AFRICAN COLOURS" will be inaugurated in the Emil Julis Gallery on Sunday November 27, 2011, which will introduce modern African artists, who so far did not exhibit in the Czech Republic. The vernissage will start at 3:30 p.m. The visitors will have the opportunity to become familiar with the works of leading African artists, originating from two collections. The first source of the exhibition is "disposition tenure" of the artworks of Ilona Bittnerova ...
... The second source is the collection of Dr. Marie Imbrova, which entered into the world of contemporary African art collectors in the mature age and the desire to understand and compare the trends of modern African art led her not only to regular purchases in the studios of her favorite artists, but also to a temporary membership and collaboration with galleries of the countries in which she resided ...
... Almost traditionally the exhibition will be illustrated by statues from Tengenenge, including two unique works of Bernard Matemera, and supplemented by a number of interesting masks and figurines of the African ancestors ...
... The both ladies are also unified by the charity page of their activities. Ilona Bittnerova is trying to sell abroad the paintings of famous artists of Tanzania, to encourage and motivate their work. Although all profit from the sale of artworks Marie Imbrova also saves back into new purchases, however, she still leads and manages the Civic Association - Tengenenge Friends Club, for which she works as a volunteer and received funds from the Club activities are fully in support of children in Tengenenge ...
You can find the entire article at www.zatecky.denik.cz (available in Czech language only).
November 2011
Article Title: AFRICAN ART - Vienna, Bank Austria, August 26 - October 01, 2011
Zdroj: ATELIER - Fortnigtly Journal of Contemporary Art, No. 23, Page 13, November 16, 2011/Josef Kandert
In the exhibition hall of Bank Austria Kunstforum was held very inspiring exhibition devoted to the so-called traditional African art. Introduced there was a selection from the private collection of Herbert Slepice, a longtime Director of Raiffeisen Bank, supplemented by additional borrowed exhibits ...
... It remains only to add that in Prague, or anywhere in the Czech Republic has so far found no banking institution that would, in the same way, regularly make efforts in the cultural education of the local population, as the already mentioned Bank Austria is doing. Which is a pity and one is sad of it.
... And in Prague.
Prague, like Vienna, can not boast of a permanent exhibition of African ethnological or art collections of its state institutions of this nature (Ethnological Museum in Vienna, located in Hofburg, Naprstek Museum in Prague). In Prague, at least this niche fills a permanent exhibition of private collection of the graphic artist Jiri Anderle, located in Pelle Villa.
There is ongoing an exhibition of paintings by Ghanaian artist Billy Baffoe-Bonnie, which is accessible from October 13 to November 30 in the atrium of the Krizik Palace in Smichov. It's already his second exhibition in Prague (the first was held in 2007) ...
... The second opportunity where an interested party can, at our place, see further examples of modern African art, is an exhibition of sculptures from the workshops in Tengenenge (Zimbabwe) and Tanzania's paintings by artists who are continuing in the tradition started by the already today deceased creator, known under the pseudonym of Tingatinga. So, in the case of stone statues, we are returning to Shona mythical time when people, animals and souls of ancestors lived together in one world; Tingatinga School paintings reflect everyday life and stress the world of animals and nature. The objects come from the collection of Marie Imbrova and Ondrej Homolka, who have exhibited already in Prague and other places examples of Shona sculpture school, for instance in the Botanical Garden in Prague's Troja. Now you can see works by sculptors from Tengenenge from March 18 to November 30 in Prague-Chodov in the Haworth's showroom, further from November 05 to November 25 in the Myslbek Passage and from October 07 to November 06, there were also exhibited at the Ambit Gallery of the Franciscan Monastery of Our Lady of the Snows.
November 2011
Article Title: AUCTION OF A STATUE FROM AFRICA IN FAVOUR OF MALTESE AID
Source: Maltese Aid, Generally Beneficial Company - Charity Organization of Sovereign Order of Knights of Malta - Traditionally serve, professionally help - www.maltezskapomoc.cz, November 07, 2011
On November 07, 2011, the Maltese Aid got a gift from our well-known African studies expert, Mrs. Marie Imbrova. It is a stone statue of a horse (see photo). The author of the statue is Ephraim Chaurika, whose sculptures of horses adorn many of the world galleries. The statue was created at the sculpture school in Zimbabwe, on the farm Tengenenge.
The Maltese Aid, according to the wish of the donor of the statue (about 4 kg heavy, approx. 32 cm high), will auction it and the proceeds will be used for the operation of the Maltese Aid ....
... The statue will be sold to the highest bidder, which will come until December 23, 2011 ...
The entire article can be found at www.maltezskapomoc.cz (available in Czech language only).
November 2011
Article Title: PODRIPSKO MUSEUM INVITES TO A LECTURE WITH THE AFRICAN THEME
Source: Official Website of the Town Roudnice nad Labem, www.roudnicenl.cz, November 02, 2011/Lucie Kabrlova
Podripsko Museum in Roudnice nad Labem invites its visitors to a lecture of a Roudnice school graduate and African studies expert Dr. Marie Imbrova about the life of the Czech globetrotter Dr. Emil Holub.
The lecture on the topic of "EMIL HOLUB AND CATCHMENT AREA OF THE ZAMBEZI" will take place on Friday November 18, 2011 from 6 p.m. in the premises of the Podripsko Museum in Roudnice nad Labem ...
You can find the entire Lucie Kabrlova's article at www.roudnicenl.cz (available in Czech language only).
October 2011
TV Interview: AFRICAN JEWEL - UNIQUE ARTEFACT
Source: CZECH TELEVISION, Channel CT24, Programme Studio CT24 - Continent, October 24, 2011, 10:54 a.m./Patricie Strouhalova
African jewel, its tradition and its present, was the subject of a Patricie Strouhalova's interview in the programme Studio CT24 - Continent with Dr. Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert.
You can see the record of the entire Patricie Strouhalova's interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.ceskatelevize.cz (available in Czech language only).
October 2011
Article Title: BENEFIT CONCERT FOR MALTESE AID
Source: Maltese Aid, Generally Beneficial Company - Charity Organization of Sovereign Order of Knights of Malta - Traditionally serve, professionally help - www.maltezskapomoc.cz, October 19, 2011
On October 19, 2011, a Gala Concert took place in the Church of St. Lawrence in Prague - Mala Strana as a thank you to donors, thanks to which we were able to buy already the third car for transporting disabled children (mainly wheelchair users) to a special school in Melnik ...
... An African studies expert, Mrs. Marie Imbrova donates us one of the statues that are currently on exhibition in the cloister of the Franciscan Monastery ... We can not remember all those who contributed, all deserve thanks ...
The entire article can be found at www.maltezskapomoc.cz (available in Czech language only).
October 2011
Article Title: LAST WARNING WILL HELP AFRICA
Source: Louny Weekly PRESS, Volume 16, Number 42, Page 1, October 19, 2011/pa
LAST WARNING WILL HELP AFRICA
Cernochov, New York (pa) Marie Imbrova from Cernochov, which for several years lived in Zimbabwe, where she was very interested in the local contemporary art, sent great news for us in the past week. The works created by five artists, which are in her private collection, were exhibited last year in Autumn at the Cerncice Emil Julis Gallery under the summary title "Born in Zimbabwe". Among them was also the painting "Last Warning" by Lovemore Kambudzi, which the collector bought in Zimbabwe in 2007 and now she has decided to offer it up for auction at New York Auction House Sotheby's for charity organization Art for Africa. The Kambudzi's painting last Wednesday night managed to get to New York and there were completed all the formalities with customs clearance. The painting will be auctioned at Sotheby's on November 17 together with further art works of African and American artists. The report about this brought the Internet portal African Colours, which is a guide of contemporary African art.
Photo: Jiri Bouda
Link: www.ohremedia.cz
October 2011
Article Title: TENGENENGE
Source: Modern Art Gallery in Roudnice nad Labem, Accompanying Programmes to Exhibitions "Teacher and Pupil", Archive 2011, www.galerieroudnice.cz, October 06, 2011
On Thursday October 06, 2011 came into the Gallery a rare guest-Dr. Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert that for a long time worked in the diplomatic services in Kenya and Zimbabwe and now, she is devoted to the support of education in Zimbabwean village Tengenenge. She had a talk about her work, experiences from Africa and help to African kids with Roudnice High School students and the 3rd Elementary School pupils.
The photos from this Marie Imbrova's lecture "LIFE IN TENGENENGE" you can see at www.galerieroudnice.cz
September 2011
TV Interview: VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
Source: CZECH TELEVISION, Channel CT24, Programme Studio CT24 - Continent, September 05, 2011, 10:53 a.m./Patricie Strouhalova
The recent clashes of Muslim and Christian youth in the city of Jos and the overall current situation in Nigeria was the subject of a Patricie Strouhalova's interview in the programme Studio CT24 - Continent with Dr. Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert.
You can see the record of the entire Patricie Strouhalova's interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.ceskatelevize.cz (available in Czech language only).
August 2011
Article Title: AIDING AFRICA THROUGH ART - Sculpture festival to help Zimbabwean village
Source: THE PRAGUE POST - The Czech Republic's English-Language Newspaper, August 24, 2011/Cat Contiguglia
Residents of Prague and surrounding communities will soon have a chance to learn about Tengenenge, a unique artistic community in Zimbabwe, and will be able to help the struggling community at the same time.
The event, located at the Dendrological Garden in Pruhonice, a historic village just southeast of Prague, centers on an installation of 20 sculptures from Tengenenge in the park, and will feature activities for children like face-painting and drumming, as well as a fair-trade market. The former Chargé d'Affaires for the Czech Republic in Zimbabwe and President of Friends of Tengenenge, Marie Imbrova, will also be there to present information about her organization's projects in Tengenenge, a village of about 800 people ...
You can find the entire Cat Contiguglia's article at www.praguepost.com
August 2011
Article Title: STONE ART FROM ZIMBABWE IS GAINING EVEN THE CZECHS
Source: StavbaWEB.cz, August 15, 2011/Editor
The Company "African Sculptures" introduces the public unique sculptures from Tengenenge. At the Dendrological Garden in Cestlice/Pruhonice near Prague until the end of October.
Enjoy an unusual ending of the holidays at the Dendrological Garden in Cestlice/Pruhonice near Prague (in the opposite of the Aquapalace Cestlice), where the original African stone sculptures and a rich accompanying program will be waiting for you and your children! ...
... You can come at any time, however, on August 28, 2011 from 2 to 6 p.m., next to an exhibition, also an interesting program awaits you ...
... Visitors can also learn here more about the Tengenenge Friends Club and its charitable activities – its Founder and President, Mrs. Marie Imbrova, and the other members, will be present. The association, whose mission is educational, cultural and awareness-raising activities, aimed at disseminating awareness about the Zimbabwean Tengenenge (the place from where statues originate) as a unique sculpture community. The association through its own actions and donations collect the financial funds to ensure schooling for all children in the community ...
You can find the entire article at www.stavbaweb.cz (available in Czech language only).
August 2011
Article Title: ZIMBABWE BEAUTIFIES THE SURROUNDINGS OF HOUSES
Source: www.stavitel.ihned.cz, August 08, 2011, 04:19 p.m./Jiri Kucera, Stavitel
The Company "African Sculptures" is engaged in import of stone sculptures from Zimbabwe to the Czech Republic and their subsequent sale. They come mostly from Tengenenge, where today is the largest gallery of stone statues in the open air ...
... And so the Company until the end of October 2011 will welcome those interested in African art in an environment of the Dendrological Garden (in Pruhonice near Prague). You can come anytime, nevertheless on August 28, 2011 from 2 to 6 p.m. besides an exhibition even an interesting program will be awaiting you. And the action will be quite familial - the program will be prepared for both adults and children. Everyone will be able to tap on drums and try a variety of fine art activities including face painting. For children there is also prepared the "African Luck", where they can draw the small gifts brought from Africa.
The visitors will also learn more about the Tengenenge Friends Club and its charitable activities - there will be present its Founder and President, Mrs. Marie Imbrova, and other members. The association, whose mission is educational, cultural and public enlightenment activities aimed at spreading awareness about the Zimbabwean Tengenenge (the place from where the statues come) as a unique sculptural community ...
You will find the Jiri Kucera's entire article at www.stavitel.ihned.cz (available in Czech language only).
July 2011
TV Interview: INDEPENDENCE OF SOUTH SUDAN
Source: CZECH TELEVISION, Channel CT24, Programme Studio CT24, July 11, 2011, 11:07 a.m./Patricie Strouhalova
"So what is the future of this troubled region? About that we will talk now with Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert ..." Patricie Strouhalova starts the own interview on the declaration of independence of a new African state - South Sudan in the Studio CT24.
You can see the record of the entire Patricie Strouhalova's interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.ceskatelevize.cz (available in Czech language only).
July - August 2011
Article Title: INTERNATIONAL CZECH CLUB
Source: Journal "Cesky dialog - Czech Dialogue", Connecting Czechs at Home and Abroad, Edition Summer 2011, International Czech Club, Page 57/red
May 23 - In the pleasant surroundings of the Small Hall of the Municipal Library in Prague, on May 23, Dr. Marie Imbrova, African studies expert, had a lecture. And namely on the topic "FROM TENGENENGE TO VICTORIA FALLS", which she prepared from her experiences and journeys. Although the focus of the lecture should be travel, the most of the attention of more than 60 present persons has earned her activities in the Tengenenge Sculpture Community, which Dr. Imbrova already supports a number of years, and in the last three years she has focused on the construction of a local nursery, on the procuring the birth certificates for preschool children and on the support of education in this community in general. More at www.tengenenge.cz.
In the hall, one of the volunteers, which participated in the project of Dr. Imbrova, was also present, and after the end of the lecture it was discussed this form of help even in the vestibule. The Editorial of the Czech Dialogue is justifiably proud that contributes to the dissemination of awareness of these non-governmental activities in Zimbabwe and will continue to support them.
The proceeds from the sale of small souvenirs from Zimbabwe, amounting to 1 200 CZK, Dr. Imbrova, as always, transferred to the account of the Club to finance the salaries of a local teacher of English.
Link: www.cesky-dialog.net
June 2011
Information in the Newspaper PRAVO about Dr. Marie Imbrova's Exhibition: "TOUCH OF AFRICA", Premises of the Educational Company - Atheris Group, Francouzska 30, Prague 2, June 09 - August 31, 2011
Source: PRAVO, Independent Newspaper, News from Your Region: Prague-Central Bohemia, Page 10, June 22, 2011/rsk
Until the end of August, it can be seen in the Premises of the Educational Company - Atheris Group in Vinohrady (Prague) old Ethiopian jewels, paintings of modern Zimbabwean painters, sculptures from Africa and other objects from fifteen countries of the Black Continent. The exhibition is composed from personal objects of Marie Imbrova (pictured above), African studies expert and former diplomat of the Czech Republic in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Link: www.pravo.novinky.cz
May 2011
Interview in MF DNES: ONLY AFRICA CANNOT SOLVE THE LACK OF WATER, BUT WE ALL
Source: MF DNES - The Largest Respectable Newspapers in the Czech Republic, Notebook E - DNES - People in Need (Clovek v tisni) Company's Extraordinary Enclosure "True Price of Goods", Page E1 and E2, May 31, 2011/Tereza Hronova
Everyone should think about, what price have the goods widely available in our country, Marie Imbrova, former diplomat in Kenya and Zimbabwe, says for instance about the roses from Africa, or the production of jeans.
Roses imported from Kenya, metals from the so-called Copper Belt in Zambia and fashion jeans have one in common. While the Europeans have of them profit and pleasure, in developing countries there are contaminated resources of drinking water, lakes are drying and owners of companies are abusing cheap labour force. According to recent UN estimates, 215 million children are working in factories, mines and plantations.
The second home of Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert and diplomat, is the village Tengenenge in Zimbabwe, where a source of livelihood is the art sculpture. There, even the children are stone working.
"The majority of my friends from Tengenenge realize what value the education has. On the other hand, I live in this village a few years, so I know that child labour is a part of the whole education system," Imbrova says…
…"Do not offer people in Africa some our way, but offer them an alternative to what they have today. By the right of choice we will strengthen their self-confidence," an African studies expert Marie Imbrova challenges…
You will find the Tereza Hronova's entire interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at epaper.mfdnes.cz (available in Czech language only).
Link: www.rozvojovka.cz
May 2011
Interview in Katerina Adamcova's blog, blog.iDNES.cz: YOU CAN LOVE OR HATE AFRICA, I CHOSE THE FIRST ONE
Source: blog.iDNES.cz , May 10, 2011, 10:00 a.m./Katerina Adamcova
Marie Imbrova longed for Africa, even as a small child. Then, no one believed in her dream. "Instead of shoes for Christmas I wanted a travel book by Emil Holub," she recalls. On the African continent, she entered a couple of decades later - as a woman responsible for the management of the Embassy in Zimbabwe. Today, she lives half and half in much-favoured African village Tengenenge and in the Czech Republic. She is a collector of African jewellery, a promoter of local art and she leads a small non-profit organization ...
You will find the Katerina Adamcova's entire interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at katerinaadamcova.blog.idnes.cz (available in Czech language only).
May 2011
Interview in Trutnovinky: ON THE ROADS (VIII.): YOU CAN LOVE OR HATE AFRICA, I CHOSE THE FIRST ONE
Source: Trutnovinky.cz, May 09, 2011/Katerina Adamcova
Trutnov - Marie Imbrova longed for Africa, even as a small child. Then, no one believed in her dream. "Instead of shoes for Christmas I wanted a travel book by Emil Holub," she recalls. On the African continent, she entered a couple of decades later - as a woman responsible for the management of the Embassy in Zimbabwe. Today, she lives half and half in much-favoured African village Tengenenge and in the Czech Republic. She is a collector of African jewellery, a promoter of local art and she leads a small non-profit organization ...
You will find the Katerina Adamcova's entire interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.trutnovinky.cz (available in Czech language only).
May 2011
Article Title: PRAGUE SHOULD BE MORE OPEN TO OTHER CULTURES
Source: MF DNES - The Largest Respectable Newspapers in the Czech Republic, Notebook B - Prague DNES - Everyday Enclosure for Capital, Page B1 and B5, May 05, 2011/Katerina Adamcova
Prague - Marie Imbrova longed for Africa, even as a small child. "Instead of shoes for Christmas I wanted a travel book by Emil Holub," she recalls. On the African continent, she entered a couple of decades later … Now, she lives half and half in much-favoured African village Tengenenge and in the Czech Republic ... She is a collector of African jewellery, a promoter of local art and she leads a small non-profit organization ...
She was almost forty years old when she first set foot on African soil, since then, according to her words, she belongs there. As she says, you can love or hate Africa. "I chose the first one," she admits ...
Reputedly, she is experiencing a private cultural shock every time she returns to the Czech Republic. And it's already on the plane, where she opens a newspaper. "In Africa, there are being solved just the completely different things," she says. She admits that it is already one of the reasons, why some people accept the cultures of the Third World countries, it is a look of these nations on the life.
"They don't hurry, an individualism doesn't play such a role there as for us, there's a greater peace of mind," she says ... Marie Imbrova toured a large part of the African continent, her roots, however, became rooted in Zimbabwe. According to her, the spirit of Africa did not abandon yet this country…
On the Prague streets, according to her, in comparison with other European cities, too little takes place and Prague could offer far more than it does today. Still, she sees the capital as a dynamic city ...
On Monday, May 23 Marie Imbrova will lecture in the Small Hall of the Prague Municipal Library from 5 p.m. on the topic of Talks without Frontiers - From Tengenenge to Victoria Falls. She will talk about travel, African culture, children and volunteer work.
You can find the Katerina Adamcova's entire article at epaper.mfdnes.cz (available in Czech language only).
April 2011
Radio Interview: IN PERUC, THERE IS TO SEE THE EXHIBITION "BORN IN TENGENENGE"
Source: CZECH RADIO, CR - North, North Bohemian Atlas Edition , April 30, 2011, 10:15 a.m./David Hertl
Only till May 8, you can view an exhibition entitled "BORN IN TENGENENGE" in the Plazik Gallery in Peruc near Louny.
It is a collection of photos, which Marie Imbrova took in the years 2007 to 2010 in the Zimbabwean village Tengenenge. Marie Imbrova, already some years, is caring for the children of local artists - namely in Tengenenge, there are living quite extraordinary people ... More here.
You can listen the entire interview on the photo exhibition of Dr. Marie Imbrova "BORN IN TENGENENGE" with Czech Radio - North's editor David Hertl for North Bohemian Atlas Edition at www.rozhlas.cz (available in Czech language only).
April 2011
Article Title: LOUNY: MARIE IMBROVA WILL TELL ABOUT HER TRAVELS THROUGHOUT AFRICA
Source: Zatecky a Lounsky denik.cz, Zatec and Louny Daily, It Happened in the Region, April 18, 2011, 07:50 a.m./mst
If you want to learn something about Africa, so a travel lecture about contemporary life in Zimbabwe is intended for you. It will take place in the Caffé Moak in Louny on Thursday, April 21 from 6 p.m.
Marie Imbrova, Chairwoman of the Tengenenge Friends Club in the Czech Republic, and Hana Krpesova, a volunteer in Tengenenge, will speak about their experiences, pieces of knowledge, the last stay in Tengenenge and also about the trip to Victoria Falls.
The admission is voluntary and will be used for the benefit of children in Tengenenge.
Links: www.zatecky.denik.cz , www.moaklouny.cz
Dr. Marie Imbrova and Hana Krpesova with children in Tengenenge, Zimbabwe, February 2011
April 2011
Article title: AFRICA ON THE NECK, BENEFIT EVENING TO END THE COLLECTION OF CAR FIRST AID KIT FOR KENYA
Source: Advertising Agency Speed media - Mobile Ads, Jihlava, April 15, 2011/Speed media
The beautiful original African jewels have been the leitmotif of the entire evening. The moderators - the Co-Organizer of the Car First Aid Kit Collection for Kenya Lejla Abbasova and the Patroness of the Medical Centre Project in Itibu Iveta Lutovska - showed the first pieces of the former Ambassador Marie Imbrova collector's collection…
You can find the entire article and the entire photo gallery from this Benefit Evening incl. the photo gallery of auctioned and exhibited African jewels at www.mobilni-reklamy.cz (available in Czech language only).
April 2011
Article Title: THE PRICE OF JEWELS CLIMBED INTO THE THOUSANDS
Source: MF DNES - The Largest Respectable Newspapers in the Czech Republic, Notebook B - Prague DNES/Society - Everyday Enclosure for Capital, Page B7, April 13, 2011/Katerina Adamcova
Auction of African jewels, clothing and photograph of Lejla Abbasova together with the model Iveta Lutovska should help Africa. It was auctioned off 60 thousand crowns. Also the singer Karel Gott with his daughters and his wife took part in the event.
...Lejla Abbasova confers, "For me personally, the necklace Macadamia is the nearest". It is a very sophisticated jewel from nuts and metal. Abbasova describes, "The combination of materials and their implementation, it is natural and that's the real Africa". She just bought African jewels from the former chargé d'affaires in Zimbabwe Marie Imbrova. "They are the originals and their elaboration is unique," Imbrova describes the ornaments...
You can find the Katerina Adamcova's entire article at epaper.mfdnes.cz (available in Czech language only).
April 2011
Article Title: PERUC SCHOOL SUPPORTED THE CHILDREN FROM TENGENENGE
Source: iPeruc.cz - Peruc Pages - Internet Magazine Not Only About Peruc, April 11, 2011/Editors
...This Monday (on April 11, 2011), a small Plazik Gallery in Peruc was extremely busy. In agreement with the author of the exhibition "BORN IN TENGENENGE", seven year-classes of the Primary School in Peruc came gradually to it, to familiarize themselves through photos and short movie with the life of children in the artists' colony in Zimbabwe ...
Judging by the questions and the overall interest of those classes, a totally different life of this community attracted them and the pupils and their teachers contributed to support the equipment in the Tengenenge kindergarten by the total amount of CZK 1 130 ...
You can read the entire article at www.iperuc.cz (available in Czech language only).
A few pictures from this visit you can see at plazik.rajce.idnes.cz
March 2011
Article Title: AFRICAN ABSTRACTION IN REHOR SAMSA BOOKSHOP
Source: HedvabnaStezka.cz - Traveller Portal - Africa Friends Society, Breaking News, March 30, 2011/Petra Greifova
The moderate collection of contemporary middle-aged artists from Zimbabwe, presented in the premises of Rehor Samsa Bookshop in Prague, is an excellent example of the national type of modern African abstraction in the concept of three different, individual, but close to the generation of authors.
Modern African art is, for several tens of years, evolving violently, is recasting previous experienced art designs, is looking for new ways, is drawing the inspiration in a global world, is continuing to be heavily influenced by the alone internal imagination of the author, in this millennium received a number of new impulses from international confrontation in world galleries in New York, via Paris, London, Singapore and Tokyo. Its marketability and move into the private collections is then supported by a series of auctions of modern African art in New York, London, Paris and Johannesburg...
You can find the entire article at www.hedvabnastezka.cz (available in Czech language only).
March 2011
Article Title: CHILDREN FROM TENGENENGE OPENED THE SEASON IN PLAZIK GALLERY
Source: SVODOBNY HLAS - Louny, Postoloprty, Zatec and Podborany Region Weekly, Volume 20, Number 13, Page 10, March 30, 2011/rlt
PERUC (rtl) - Completely full Plazik Gallery in Peruc, which dedicates systematically to the presentation of amateur, semi-professional and professional photographers, launched on Saturday, March 26 a new exhibition season. Marie Imbrova from Cernochov in the exhibition "Born in Tengenenge" introduced photos, which she took, in the years 2006 - 2011, in the homonymic village in the African State of Zimbabwe.
She goes there, already, for many years and strives to help children who grow up in a unique community of African sculptors ... "The voluntary admission reached 1 215 CZK, the gift of Martineves Mayor was 1 000 CZK and the proceed from the mini-bazaar was 1 300 CZK. The money was remitted to the account of the Tengenenge Friends Club and will pay a part of the salary of a local teacher," adds Dr. Imbrova ...
You can find the entire article at www.svobodnyhlas.cz (available in Czech language only).
March 2011
Article Title: EXHIBITION - BORN IN TENGENENGE
Source: Rozvojovka - Falls under the Company People in Need (Clovek v tisni), March 29, 2011/Marie Imbrova
Familiarize yourself with the children living in the African village Tengenenge in Zimbabwe! The village was artificially formed in the sixties of the past century by a former tobacco grower Tom Blomfield. At the bottom of a stone mine, he employed the workers from his tobacco farm, of different ethnic origin and culture, and together with them he started sculpting. Over time, Tengenenge established itself as a unique sculpture community, internationally respected, the largest open-air one. In this special community, about a thousand people, including women and children, work with stone...
... When you are arriving there, so at the open-air, thousands of completed sculptures are sparkling, offered for sale ... an amazing view...
You can find the entire article at www.rozvojovka.cz (available in Czech language only).
March 2011
Article Title: AFRICA MOVED TO PERUC
Source: iPeruc.cz - Peruc Pages - Internet Magazine Not Only About Peruc, March 27, 2011/Plazik st.
Already, the 5th season (the 15th exhibition) was inaugurated in the Plazik Gallery in Peruc and from all sides great beautiful eyes of little black children were looking at its visitors. Mrs. Marie Imbrova is exhibiting here the photographs from her work in African Zimbabwe...
... The information about life in the artists' colony really gripped very much and Mrs. Imbrova was the centre of interest of the visitors, but also of the editors of the Zatec Daily and the Czech Radio. Proceeds from the sale of souvenirs and especially the contribution of the visitors of the Gallery (CZK 1 215) will be sent to help the children of Tengenenge...
You can read the entire article at www.iperuc.cz (available in Czech language only).
March 2011
Article Title: AFRICA INAUGURATED THE SEASON IN PLAZIK GALLERY
Source: Zatecky a Lounsky denik.cz, Zatec and Louny Daily, Culture, March 27, 2011, 2:00 p.m./Miroslava Strnadova
Peruc - An exhibition of photographs of the children from the Black Continent began, on Saturday March 26, the fifth season in a private Plazik Gallery in Peruc.
Mrs. Marie Imbrova introduced her photographs from the life of the children in the Tengenenge Art Community in Zimbabwe. Dozens of visitors from Peruc and the surrounding area visited the opening ceremony...
You will find the entire Miroslava Strnadova's article with photos from the exhibition at www.zatecky.denik.cz (available in Czech language only).
March 2011
Article Title: AFRICA WILL BLOW INTO PERUC GALLERY
Source: Chomutovsky denik.cz, Chomutov Daily, It Happened in the Region, March 20, 2011, 4:30 p.m./mst
Peruc - In one week, already the fifth season will begin in a private Plazik Gallery in Peruc. Miroslav "Plazik" Blazek invites: "The first exhibition of this season will be an exhibition of photographs by Marie Imbrova from the years 2007-2010 about the life of children in the art community in Tengenenge in African Zimbabwe". The festive opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 26, at 3 p.m. ...
You will find the entire article at www.chomutovsky.denik.cz (available in Czech language only).
February 2011
Artictle Title: HOW DOES THE PRINCE (CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER) SAVE: TO REPAIR FOR 47 MILLIONS, THEN TO CLOSE
Source: prvnizpravy.cz - The Most Important in Politics and Business, February 20, 2011, 1:22 p.m./Adam B. Bartos
<<EXCLUSIVE>> Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg had left, before the time, to close several embassies. Including the one, he had, previously, reconstructed.
The building of the Embassy in Kenya (Nairobi) went through, a few years ago, an extensive reconstruction for almost 50 millions of Czech Crowns. Then, Karel Schwarzenberg was a Foreign Minister. A year ago, the same Minister ordered to close some embassies. Including this one...
...The lack of concept, some time ago, Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert and a former Consul in Zimbabwe and in the mentioned Kenya, criticized in an open letter to the Minister.
According to her, Schwarzenberg saves in the wrong place. Not only by the shutdown of the embassies itself, it will save nothing much, but in addition it will require a lot of other costs, so the effect will be zero, in fact ...
You can read the entire Adam B. Bartos's article at www.prvnizpravy.cz (available in Czech language only).
Related news: BY SHUTDOWN OF EMBASSIES IT DOES NOT SPARE, THE PRINCE IS FACING CRITICISM
January 2011
Article Title: SOUTHERN SUDAN IS ALREADY CHOOSING ITS NAME
Source: SME.SK - Daily SME - The Most Widely Read Newspapers in the Slovak Republic, January 22, 2011/Matus Krcmarik
The Christian South of the Sudan had voted for independence from the hated North. Despite the oil the South will be reliant on it for a long time. On the world map in the summer there will be added a new state - landlocked, Christian, poor, but also rich ...
"At least one decade, the South will depend from the North," said SME an African studies expert and a former Czech diplomat in neighboring Kenya Marie Imbrova ...
The Matus Krcmarik's article was published in the SME's printed edition on Saturday, January 22, 2011 and you can read the entire one at www.sme.sk (available in Slovak language only).
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