Meda & Jan Mládek – Life, Exile, Art

A long-term exhibition at Rosice Castle presents the lives and works of two unforgettable figures of post-war exile. The exhibition, created in collaboration between the Town of Rosice, Rosice Castle Administration, and Kampa Museum, opened on May 3, 2024 – exactly on the second anniversary of Meda Mládková's death. The modern exhibition spans two castle halls and features historic furniture from the Mládeks' home in Washington D.C., Meda's clothing and jewelry, personal items, and selected artworks from their renowned collection. The exhibition explores not only art collecting and Meda's friendship with František Kupka, but also Jan Mládek's work for the International Monetary Fund, their circle of friends in America, and Meda's cultural activities after returning to Prague.

Jan Viktor Mládek (1911–1989) was a Czech-American economist and diplomat who, on behalf of the Czechoslovak government-in-exile, helped establish the International Monetary Fund in 1944. Meda Mládková (1919–2022) was a lifelong promoter of Czech culture – her exile publishing house released the first monograph on painter Toyen, and in Paris she befriended František Kupka, a pioneer of abstraction. Both spouses are buried in Rosice, which Meda chose because it was the hometown of the Mládek family. The exhibition is planned for a ten-year run. The exhibition is open during castle hours: May–September daily 9:00–17:00; April and October on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9:00–17:00.