Ausstellungseröffnung: Landschaft der Liebe. Motive aus der Graphic Novel "Sudetenlove"

Far more than a backdrop: In Filip Raif's graphic novel "Sudetenlove", the landscape is just as central as the characters themselves. It visualizes the story of a first great love and at the same time of a region that was shaped by drastic historical changes in the 20th century.

Exhibition opening: Background discussion and introduction with the exhibition curator Dr. Frances Jackson and Dr. Serafine Lindemann, independent curator and idea generator for "Sudetenlove". Moderation: Rainer Bobon, HdH BW
Music: Yen-Chen Lee, saxophone
Followed by a standing reception

Exhibition
End of the 1930s: The Sudetenland is like a powder keg. Fanned by Germany, national tensions in the Czechoslovakian border regions could escalate at any moment with an uncertain outcome. Hedwig, a German girl, and Fritz, a boy from a German-Czech family, meet while skiing and quickly fall in love. However, Hedwig's father sends her to live with an aunt in Belgium. Fritz sees no other choice: he will follow her - on his bicycle... In muted colors and inspired by true events, "Sudetenlove" by Filip Raif tells the story of a first great love and at the same time of a region whose fate in the 20th century was determined by drastic historical changes.

The focus of the exhibition is on the landscape surrounding the lovers. Everything is sensitively captured by Raif - regardless of whether it is natural, urban or emotional spaces. This is often done so vividly that the landscape ceases to be a mere backdrop and instead comes to the fore.

Filip Raif (*1973 in Jeseník/Freiwaldau in the Jeseníky Mountains) is an illustrator and graphic designer. He studied at the Prague Academy of Art, Architecture and Design. In his work, he repeatedly deals with the history of his home region; "Sudetenlove" is his first graphic novel. The German version, translated by Katharina Hinderer, will be published by Helvetiq in 2026. Filip Raif lives and works in Jeseník.

Exhibition duration: 19.03.2025 to 15.05.2025
Exhibition venue: Haus der Heimat des Landes Baden-Württemberg, exhibition room 4th floor
Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Thu 9:00 to 15:30. Wed 9:00 to 18:00
Closed on public holidays
Admission is free.

As part of the Stuttgart Comic Days 2025
An exhibition of the Czech Center Munich in cooperation with the House of Homeland of the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Cultural Department for the Czech Lands