ZAHRADKA AT ZELIVKA RIVER, 1995 - 1997 / Photo: Alena Dvorakova, Afisphoto. Project focused on a small town of Zahradka (established in 11th century) that was destroyed in the seventies due to the construction of Zeliv dam. The set of photographs recorded the irreversible change of landscape and the town, the only remainder of which is the church, cemetery and several access roads. The author followed the fortunes of the people who were forced to move to various parts of Vysocina and the only occasion to see each other is the annual pilgrimage to Krizna studanka near Zahradka.Thanks to the understanding of the people who lent their family photographs the entire set has been expanded with valuable recollections of everyday life in Zahrádka at the times before it disappeared. The historic pictures were also compared to the current status of the landscape.
I would like to thank the following people for being so kind and lending their family photographs: family Vránek and Krejčí from Humpolec, family Bělohradský from Ledeč nad Sázavou, family Miláček from Ledeč nad Sázavou, family Hradecký from Ledeč nad Sázavou, family Bejček from Světlá nad Sázavou, family Belada from Humpolec, family Rýdl from Dolní Paseky, family Proněk from Houpačky.
The principal part of the photographic project was created in the years 1996 – 97. The set was completed in the year 2000.
I am glad that the exhibition of this project gave the opportunity to organise the first reunion of the Zahrádky natives since they were separated.