Telegraph has decided to move on. To where? Not only beyond Olomouc, but also beyond the gallery and cinema. For the first time since its founding, it has joined forces with filmmakers to produce a short documentary about the exhibition Connections and the specific creative process.
The documentary Connection: Making the Indscribable, this was the subject of the eponymous exhibition CONNECTION, which took place at the Telegraph Gallery at the turn of 2023 and 2024. Director Michael Bukovanský, head of the Telegraph's program section, chose to capture the essence of their work through footage that features the work of artists such as Karel Malich, Margita Titlová Ylovsky, Jan Hísek, Jiří Kornatovský, Inge Kosková, Dagmar Havlíčková, Jana Kasalová, Josef Duchan, Petr Nikl, Přemysl Martinec, Taja Spasskova and Alžběta Krňanská, who are featured in the film. The film, produced by the Telegraph, is a collaboration between the Telegraph Gallery, Story Factory, an advertising company headed by Dan Tyrlík, and Michael Bukovansky.
Curator Terezie Zemánková, accompanied by the artists in the exhibition and exhibition architect Mark Ther, guides the viewer through the documentary. The documentary itself follows what gallery visitors might have easily missed while browsing the exhibition Connections. Each visitor has seen the exhibition through their own eyes - the documentary shows it from the perspective of the artists themselves. The film provides answers to unanswered questions from the exhibition. It is not, however, a mere passive record of the artworks, but a lively and dynamic guide that draws viewers into the world of the artists and their inner feelings.
The central motif of the film, like the exhibition, is the life's work of the late artist Karel Malich. Several times in the documentary we follow the work I observe a crack in space, whose presence is absolutely crucial. Although at first glance it might seem that the wire sculpture and the dozens of drawings do not fit together, the opposite is true. Curator Terezie Zemánková describes Karel Malich's sculpture as a spatial drawing, and through the narratives of the performing artists, viewers are given a closer understanding of the recording of his visions. The documentary therefore reveals connections that are not easily noticed by the viewer when browsing through the exhibition.
In the film we get to know the work of several of the artists on display even more closely. For example, Margita Titlová Ylovsky describes the difficulties of creating paintings that were made in complete darkness. In addition, painters and draftsmen such as Jan Hísek, Přemysl Martinec, Dagmar Havlíčková, Inge Kosková, Taja Spassková, Alžběta Krňanská, Jana Kasalová and Petr Nikl introduce viewers to how their creative process works or what the viewer might see in their work.
The film was first shown to the public at the Telegraph Cinema on 23 May and at the Pilot Cinema in Prague on 21 June. These exclusive events were enriched by a programme that included a discussion with the filmmakers, which gave an insight into the process of making the film and the workings of the entire main crew. The discussion was moderated by Telegraph Gallery's chief curator Mira Macík, and questions related to the making of the documentary were answered by director Michael Bukovanský, producer Erika Kovačičová, exhibition curator Terezie Zemánková and cameraman Dan Tyrlík.
For those who were unable to attend, there is a trailer of the film, photo gallery from the premiere at Kino Pilotů and an interview with the director that offers a unique insight into the process of making this documentary. Even so, don't despair if you missed the premiere screening, we will certainly still find a place in the Telegraph to show the film.
