Vilém Wünsche - From the Life of a Miner

An exhibition of paintings by artist Vilém Wünsche titled "From the Life of a Miner" is on display in the gallery of Silesian Ostrava Castle from April 22 to August 30, 2026. Wünsche came from Šenov near Ostrava, from a family deeply rooted in the mining industry — his father worked at the Zárubek and Ludvík mines, and Wünsche himself trained as a mine locksmith and worked underground for several years. He focused primarily on realistic depictions of miners and their labour; curator Lukáš Czopik described him as one of the most distinctive artistic chroniclers of industrial Ostrava. The exhibition presents a collection of 14 previously unpublished paintings from a private collection (from a total cycle of 20 works created between 1946 and 1949), and the organisers hope that the exhibition will help locate the remaining lost works. Wünsche's work is characterised by expressive draughtsmanship, emphasis on the human figure, and sensitive rendering of atmosphere. The exhibition also includes a children's section inspired by Wünsche's illustration work, featuring a selection of illustrations and an interactive space. The exhibition is open during castle hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:00. Admission corresponds to the standard castle entrance fee.