Illustrations for Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka (Prague 1883–1924 Kierling, Austria) is one of the most important writers of the twentieth century. His texts remain topical today—presumably in part because they treat timeless aspects of human existence such as guilt and innocence, power and impotence, or punishment and redemption.

In the year of the centennial of Kafka’s death, this exhibition approaches his texts by way of works of the visual arts. Scenes from world-famous works such as “The Trial”, “Metamorphosis” and “In the Penal Colony” are found here in various interpretations. The Collection of Graphic Art of the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie offers a wealth of examples.

Over more than five decades, Hans Fronius (1903–1988) worked with all of the essential Kafka texts. Around fifty of his illustrations will be seen in the exhibition. Wolfgang Bier (1943–1998) was fascinated by the story “In the Penal Colony.” He deliberately employed his materials and technique to communicate a message. The book illustrator Svato Zapletal (b. 1946) and Peter Grau (1928–2016), in the latter case inspired by fragments of narratives from Kafka’s diaries, have also impressively translated literary models.

The exhibition and the events at the KOG accompanying it are part of the extensive program for the Kafka Year amassed on the German-Czech platform “Kafka 2024.”