On March 21, 2024, the figurative sculptor Sebastian Wojnar welcomed 9 photographers from the Třebíč Regional Charity from the project Photographing without Barriers, accompanied by Michaela Vostálová, in his studio “SW”, in the building and premises of Fabrika 1861. 

 The meeting, together with Sebastian Wojnar, was prepared by Luboš Denner Sr. and Jr. from Dennart company, with the support of the management of Fabrika 1861 and its director Sebastian Kuršel. The program of the day included tours, photo stops in various, attractive areas of the building, with a final visit and photo shoot by members of Photography Without Barriers in Sebastian’s studio.

 Right from the start, the hosts set up a humorous little ruse for the guests by switching and introducing the director of Factory 1861 as the sculptor and Sebastian Wojnar as the director. The ruse was soon revealed, but thanks to this joke, a pleasant and informal atmosphere was established between the two parties right from the start. After a longer journey and a small refreshment, the whole group went on a photo tour of the historical premises of the former garment factory, led by Sebastian Kuršel.

 The Kuršel family is gradually reconstructing this industrial and architectural jewel of 50,000 square meters into a future multicultural center, and so the director Sebastian Kuršel revealed the various spaces with an engaging narrative, in which there was always a photo shoot of the premises themselves as well as a spontaneous photo shoot of the host with the photographers of the charity. 

The theatre hall of the former spinning mill, the courtyard, the unique staircase of the future galleries, the large former workshop space and the hall transformed by an American film production into a columned set are all beautiful spaces inviting for photo shoots. And the participants of the expedition did this more than ably. Many unique shots were taken, from which the traditional Factory 1861 calendar for 2025 will be produced.

Then everyone moved to the studio space, where dozens of Sebastian Wojnar’s art objects, busts, sculptures, torsos and reliefs, cast in plaster and bronze, were on display. Much attention was paid to the clay sculptures, more than two metres high, which Sebastian is currently working on and modelling for casting – Mary Magdalene, which the sculptor is preparing for Dětmarovice, and the more than five-metre high, future sculpture Epopee of Miletín.

The highlight of the day was an unexpected moment in the studio, when three artistic worlds came together with an authorial reading of poems for photographs: photography, poetry and sculpture.

There was also clay modelling by the photographers themselves, and a joint photography session of guests in the studio with Sebastian Wojnar. This continued afterwards in the outdoor spaces and on the newly renovated metal bridge, leading over the river that circles the south side of Factory 1861.

 We would like to thank all the photographers of the Třebíč charity present, Michaela Vostálová and her colleagues for the beautiful photo gifts and giveaways. But most of all for an unforgettable day with wonderful people, their immediate, sincere interest in everything on the tour, their sensitivity and respect for the things they photographed, their humour.

Like every team of people of the same interest, which has its leaders, its quiet thinkers, its comedy characters and other personalities in harmony with the given community, this incredibly connected group has its Olda and Ríša, who with their vitality and infectious humour can take the attention beyond the everyday. It has its thoughtful Maruška, it has its thinker and poet in one person, it has other members connected by art, looking at the world through photography and enriching us, making us all happy. And above all, it has its Michaela Vostálová, who with her colleagues leads a beautiful and rewarding project, to which she gives a lot of time incredible energy.

 Thank you!

 P.S. We will soon add a photo report from this meeting