The exhibition will present his illustrations of the books by Jaroslav Foglar and Otakar Batlička, his advertising collaboration for the companies: Bata, Prazdroj, Jablonex and Sigma Pump, illustrations for the Vpřed (Forward) magazine, first Czech pin-up girls as well as his own independent productions.
Bohumil Konečný was born on 19th April 1918, in Plzeň, since early childhood drawing was his favourite activity. He signed his pictures as Bimba. This was a nickname created by his father who worked as a site engineer for the railways in the Italian Alps and had learnt the local language. His son, who was chubby and resembled a little girl, or in Italian, Bimba, hence the nickname. Bimba became a recognised painter while in primary education in Plzeň. His artistic inspirations included Luděk Marold, František Ženíšek, Alfons Mucha and early creations of František Kupka.
The first commissions
During his studies at Prague’s Technical University he befriended the writer, Jan Drda, who introduced him to Melantrich’s magazine Ahoj (Hello). Bimba started illustrating short stories and novels published in the magazine. It was Drda once again who mediated his first commission of book illustrations for the young artist. In 1937 Drda wrote a short novel under the pseudonym Ada Vlach called Cirkusak Vincek, pes Matyas a opička Brunhilda (Circus performer Vincek, dog Matyas and monkey Brunhilda). Konečný added several illustrations and produced a colourful cover. In 1938 Bimba abandoned his studies at Technical University and tried his hand at the Academy of Fine Arts.
After September 1939, he collaborated with the magazine Mlady Hlasatel (Young Messenger), producing illustrations to the short stories by Otakar Batlička. The fact that the protectorate institutions closed down all the universities paradoxically freed his artistic spirit and enabled him to concentrate entirely on his own illustrations. However, the war interfered with the publishers of the magazines… Luckily, Bimba received an offer from the advertising department of Bata factory in Zlín, he worked as an advertising artist and contributed to the production of the magazine for children called Male Noviny (Small Newspaper). In 1943 he became self-employed and settled in Borecký Mill by the river Střela.
Bohumil Konečný was inspired by romantic post war movies, American western movies, and American, British and German commercials. This had led to the theme of pin-up girls – provocative idealised female models with a slight erotic element. It won him much success in the Humoristic Papers of Vilímek publishers as well as abroad. Nonetheless, Vilímek’s Papers ceased to operate in 1941 despite their previously long existence (since 1858).
Bimba got married in August 1944 with Eva who often posed as his model. After the war he followed his adventurous spirit and continued with the illustrations of the magazine Mladý Hlasatel, followed by magazine Vpřed and Foglar’s Rychlé Šípy (Fast Arrows). In the years 1947 – 1948, he produced a comic strip called Zuzanka a její svět (Zuzanka and Her World) for the magazine Květen (May). It was based on the script by Jaroslav Pribik. The serial constituted of 66 sequels and enjoyed great popularity.
Weak years
The new creative era of 1950’s wasn’t very suitable for Konečný’s style. He nonetheless managed to get a job for the journal Práce (Work) as an illustrator, depicting the ideology of the time. His creativity proved the most successful in the advertising sector regarding the goods for export. Posters and calendars enriched by Konečný’s fertile talent advertised products alongside teasing pretty ladies. Pilsner beer, Jablonec jewellery, the matches Solo Sušice, or printing and textile machinery were the trademarks of his artwork.
He continued portraying women for his own pleasure. Unfortunately, many of his drawings were misused by Petr Sadecky who sold much of Konečný’s artwork abroad, but under his own name! Sadecky also caused a scandal in 1971, by publishing a book called Octobriana a Rusky Underground. In it Sadecky allegedly labelled the artwork of Konečný, Burian and Novak as products of Soviet dissidents. Konečný was then accused by the Czechoslovakian institutions as a co-operator of the whole provocation.
In the 1980’s he collaborated with the magazines: Ahoj na sobotu (Hello Saturday), Ohníček (Little Fire), Svět motorů (The Motor World), Pionýr (Pioneer) and Pionýrska stezska (The Pioneer’s Path) supporting mainly adventure stories with his illustrations. Bimba died in 1990 without attaining any greater recognition or popularity. His friends, however, organised a large retrospective exhibition in the museum in Plzeň in 2007. Further acknowledgements to the artist followed by the publishing of the book Zapomenutý malíř Bohumil Konečný (Forgotten Artist Bohumil Konečný), a documentary production and the current exhibition in Prague.
