Photographer, Jan Josef Horvath, comes from Rozmberk nad Vltavou, where he was born on May 22, 1966. To this day, he loves this village very much and although he draws his inspiration from all over the world, Rozmberk nad Vltavou continues to be his main source of inspiration. During his childhood, well known personalities often came together at his father's place. The future photographer's father was half Roma and half Jewish. Jan is of eight children and as he himself says he is, "the youngest, the most cheeky and the craziest" of all of them. He was the only one in the family to go into photography and film. The other siblings have devoted themselves to painting and music. Jan became interested in photography during puberty. An important source of inspiration were horses, towards which he felt a fundamental pull.

In 1984 he moved to Prague. He worked in film and theatre and continued to do photography. Moreover, he cooperated with a variety of Czech periodicals. Jan Josef has created portraits and documentary photographs of well known figures in Czech politics and culture. In 2000, he photographed Helena Vondrackova at her concert in New York. He was the only photographer from the Czech Republic who singer, Lucie Bila, invited to her concert at the Hotel Konrad in Brussels. Currently, he has a studio in Vysehrad. Jewish symbolism also plays an important role in his work. Jan Josef Horvath has held numerous expositions.

- With Eyes, Heart and Word in 2000 in the Cultural Centre Postovka in Prague 5.

- National Minorities at the YMCA in Prague.

- Old Age on the Threshold of the 3rd Millennium: a touring exposition that captures the lives of seniors in homes and care facilities for the chronically ill.

- Like Centuries Ago, the Roma Today: ran from the 23rd of June 2004 in Manes Restaurant, Massarykovo nabrezi 250, Praha 1. The exposition was made up of over fifty black and white photographs illustrating the lives of the Roma in Slovakia in Vranov nad Toplou, Sol and Madzurovce. The photos were taken in 2004, shortly after the looting incidents in eastern Slovakia, where Jan Josef Horvath, set out with humanitarian aid put together by Roma organizations in the Czech Republic. The sponsor of the exposition is Romodrom and the Dzeno association.

xAuthor: Jan Josef Horvath