Petr Šálek is renowned in the world of commercial and fashion photography. Moreover, he is acknowledged for his work as an experimental photographer. He does panoramic photography and high pigment quality printing. Wide-angle photography, composition, lighting and geometric landscape are Šálek's signature features. Furthermore, he has also published his works in several photo books and magazines as well as exhibited among several prominent venues.
Orchestra baobab in prague lucerna bar made by petr lek
Education
Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague – Department of Art Photography
Awards
2002 title of QEP, Qualified European Photographer, Category: Advertising Photography, Orvieto, 16 March 2002
Select Solo Exhibitions
1996 Young Fashion - Künstlerfest, Erlangen, FRG
1996 Water Folly – Blumen & Art, Nuremberg, FRG
1996 Avantgarde – Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, USA
1996 Flowers – Blumen & Art, Nuremberg, FRG
1997 Technikum – Schwan Stabilo, Heroldsberg, FRG
1997 Digital Photographs – Motor-Presse-Verlag, Stuttgart, FRG
1997 Photographs – Funkhaus, Nuremberg, FRG
1998 Photographs – Cebit, Hanover, FRG
1998 Views – picture gallery OBI, Nuremberg, FRG
1998 World of Photography – representation of Epson company, Vienna, Austria
1999 Enwrap (photographs in collaboration with the German choreographer Felix Ruckert) – club Solidní nejistota, Prague
2000 Prague – European City of Culture – exhibition accompanying the performances of the company Dance Perfekt in partner
2000 European cities of culture - Brussels, Bologna, Reykjavik, Avignon, Helsinki
2000 Jak se kalí grafie (How Calli Graphs, collaboration with Petr Geisler) - National Gallery in Prague, Zbraslav Chateau
2001 Animal Dancing – Studio Fénix, Prague
2002 Photo Calligraphy (combination of photographs with calligraphy by Petr Geisler) club Solidní nejistota, Prague
2002 Blind Alley – Studio Fénix, Prague
2002 Qualified European Photographer – National Museum of Photography, Jindřichův Hradec
2003 Crooks 1 – International Exhibition Interkamera, Prague Exhibition Grounds
Československá fotografie v exilu (1939-1989), Praha, 1992, Anna Fárová, Catalogue
Die neue Akt Fotoschule, 2000, VERLAG PHOTOGRAPHIE, ISBN 3-933131-00-6,
Reklama 1990-1999, 2000, Asociace fotografů, ISBN 80-902629-2-9
Asociace fotografů České republiky se představuje: Petr Šálek, FotoVideo 2001, č. 11
Česká fotografie 20. století, Praha, 2005, Vladimír Birgus, Jan Mlčoch, UPM, KANT, ISBN 80-86217-89-2
1984, Prague : Petr Šálek, 2011, Graphic Design by Pavel Dufek, ISBN 978-80-254-9180-5
Praha XXL = Prague XXL ; Tělo = Body, Catalogue of the Exhibition at the Old Town Hall, Prague: Petr Šálek, 2005, ISBN 80-239-6487-9
Jeden den České republiky, (One day in the life of Czech Republic) Editor: Pavel Radosta, 2007, ISBN 978-80-254-0496-6, str. 156, 157
PRAGUE, Petr Šálek, 2016, Graphic Design by Pavel Dufek, ISBN 978-80-260-9910-9
1984 Cycle
The title of this series of photographs was inspired by George Orwell's book 1984. Salek has given every day activities an Orwellian, sci - fi twist ; the images are intended to portray a somewhat sardonic-laced-with-irony view of what life under a Big Brother state might be like. Perhaps we should not only learn from mistakes of the past, but we should also think about what our life might look like in the future if those lessons aren’t learned. (It may interest the viewer to note that Salek fled Czechoslovakia under communism in 1981. He returned to the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution). Most of the materials used in the photographs are of a 1984 or earlier vintage.
