Start: 7:00 p.m. (PT) | By Invitation Only

The Thomas Mann House and the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles cordially invite you to an exclusive event at the Thomas Mann House: Jaroslav Olša, Jr., Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles, will present on the recent publication and exhibition Czech Painters of California. Both focus on Czech artists of the West Coast of the United States who arrived from the end of the 19th century until the 1989 Velvet Revolution.

"Even more do I owe thanks to the Republic of Czechoslovakia, which most generously made a gift of its citizenship to me who was robbed of my German nationality. Especially at this moment, when the heavens of central Europe are darkening so threateningly, it is a heartfelt necessity to give expression to my faithful loyalty to this courageous and lovable democratic republic,“ wrote Thomas Mann in his lecture The Coming Victory of Democracy in 1938, publicly expressing his gratitude to Czechoslovakia. But also beyond Mann’s personal friendship with former Czechoslovakian President Edvard Beneš, many refugees from Czechoslovakia were an integral part of the émigré community of German-speaking exiles in 1930s and 1940s Los Angeles. Jaroslav Olša, Jr., Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles, will present on the recent publication and exhibition Czech Painters of California and excavate artworks and interwoven histories. After the presentation there will be time for a conversation and a light reception. With opening remarks by the Thomas Mann House.

Attendance information

Attendance by invitation only.

Participant

Jaroslav Olša Jr. is a Czech diplomat whose posts include those of Ambassador to Zimbabwe (2000–2006), South Korea (2008–2014) and the Philippines (2014–2018), and Consul General in Los Angeles (2020–current); author of books on history, art and literature of Asia and Africa. He is also science fiction editor, translator and bibliographer. He is also the author of books and articles on history, culture and literature of Asia and Africa and historical relations of the non-European countries with the Czech Lands. He has also widely published about science fiction and edited over a dozen anthologies of Czech and international science fiction. He has published in a wide-range of publications such as Czech edition of National Geographic, Nový Orient (New Orient), Světová literatura (World Literature), Mezinárodní politika (Foreign Policy), Mezinárodní vztahy (International Relations). Contributor to various Czech and foreign-language encyclopedias. He was also a curator of art exhibitions, member of the jury of 2011 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, and initiated numerous cultural exchanges and activities.

This event is a collaboration between the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles & the Thomas Mann House Los Angeles.