Joža Uprka Mural Dedication
New Releases
•
24m
George Drost, past NCSML Board chair, international attorney, cultural preservationist, and art enthusiast, shares with Czech Village the Joža Uprka painting from his collection – formally known as “Girl in a scarf from Veselí nad Moravou.”
The mural will add vibrancy to the side of the historic Kosek Building, 87 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Joža Uprka (1861–1940), a Czech painter, often called the “Artist of the Moravian Soul,” blended academic technique with Impressionist influences to immortalize the customs and folk dress of his native region. Uprka is known for his richly detailed depictions of Moravian folklore, rural life, and spiritual traditions at the turn of the 20th century.
“I have long been captivated by Uprka’s ability to preserve the identity and vibrancy of Moravian heritage through art,” said Drost, founder of UprkaUSA.com. “My mission is to share Uprka’s vision with the world, fostering appreciation for Central European traditions and the universality of folk expression.”
The website serves as an interactive digital gallery and educational hub, offering visitors insights into Uprka’s life, technique, and legacy. It also reflects Drost’s commitment to cultural diplomacy and the preservation of Czech and Slovak heritage, both in his native homeland and in the United States.
Up Next in New Releases
-
NCSML - Cimbalom Concert July 2025 (F...
Matěj Číp, also known as “Cimbalom Guy,” returns to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library with Valachia Cimbalom Quartet. The stringed instrument is prominent in folk music in the Czech and Slovak Republics.
Číp, from a small village in Moravia, has devoted his life to playing the cimbalo...
-
#16: Recent Parliamentary Elections i...
In this episode, Pavol Demeš speaks with Peter Weiss — a prominent Slovak former member of Parliament and former Slovak Ambassador to the Czech Republic. Their conversation explores the recent parliamentary elections in Czechia, their course, key issues, results, and possible scenarios for the fo...
-
#15: Czech Republic before the Upcomi...
Mirek Konvalina speaks with Petr Šimùnek, respected Czech journalist, former editor in chief of the world best business magazine Forbes (Czech Edition), about the state of the Czech Republic before upcoming general elections.
At the beginning of October, Czechs will head to the polls to elect a ...
