On March 17, at 7pm, historian Dr Martin Nekola will be sharing rare photographs and telling the story of the half-forgotten Czech globetrotter and photographer Bohumil Pospisil.
Pospisil spent five years in the late 1920s travelling 160,000 kilometres and recording his journey in notebooks and thousands of photographs.
His final stop was New Zealand, where he spent a year, married Dunedin-born Elizabeth Shannon, and eventually settled permanently, after a brief return to Prague.
In 1936 he published Wandering on the Islands of Wonders, reflecting his life in his new home.
Pospisil died in Auckland in 1974, aged 72.
A few years ago, his grandson discovered a large collection of photos and documents in his late grandfather’s attic.
He got in touch with Dr Nekola, a Czech researcher and the story began to unfold.
Based on the newly uncovered material, Dr Nekola set out on a mission to get the name of Bohumil Pospisil back into public consciousness.
He published articles and a book, and organised lectures and photo exhibits at various libraries, galleries and museums all over the Czech Republic, as well as at the National Museum of Taiwan.
Over the course of the month, Dr Nekola is travelling around New Zealand to present and and commemorate Pospisil´s life story and photographs through a series of lectures.
In a statement South Canterbury Museum director Philip Howe said the story of how Bohumil Pospisil’s treasure trove was discovered in an Auckland attic and how that had led to a number of great outcomes was fascinating.
‘‘Martin Nekola has been able to take the material to develop exhibitions and link people not just with Bohumil’s story but also the details of his images from a former world — Asia before the Second World War.
‘‘Bohumil Pospisil’s early life is itself a rollicking yarn of adventure, and the output of his photography and notes has been far-reaching through Martin’s research, publication and sharing through talks and exhibitions.’’
Admission is $10, limited spaces are available and bookings are essential.
Bookings can be made by contacting the museum on 03 687 7212 or by sending an email to museum@timdc.govt.nz.
