Černé roky (The Black Years) presents raw photographic and literary diaries from 1971–1987 by the influential underground photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková. The book wrings the black-and-white everyday reality of Normalization-era Prague, revealing both the beauty and the malaise of the time, while offering a glimpse into the remarkable later life of an émigré in West Berlin and Tokyo.
The book is also an experiment in editorial approach, giving equal weight to Jarcovjáková’s photographic and literary work. The resulting artistic statement oscillates wildly between a classic monograph and intimate diary entries. Through their rawness and authenticity, Černé roky forms a distinctive portrait of an uncompromising artist during her wild years.
