U Cesty Gallery

In the village of Šarovy, where in 2007 the sculptor Jan Ambrůz together with Pavla Kačírková began to implement the project Jinákrajina, which aims to place in the local landscape various sculptures and small interventions, the U cesty Gallery was established in 2013. Despite its intimate character, it has found many fans over the years.

Gallery U cesty was founded on the initiative of Jakub Rochovanský, who returned to his native region after years spent abroad, bought a ruined house in the village of Šarovy and began to renovate it. He held his first resident exhibition on New Year's Eve in 2015 and presented the works of local artist Lubomír Jarcovják. The event was mainly offered to locals and acquaintances and greatly determined the future direction of the gallery.

Exhibition openings and other events are held at the gallery a few times a year. The gallery does not have a distinct curatorial concept, and instead of cultural imports, the curator tries to exhibit artists and works from Šarovy that were born in the region or are connected with the place. The gallery has successively presented Lenka Rochovanská, Gabriela Dorazilová, Jana Runštuková with Josef Šlégl, Tereza Kociánová, Jakub Jarcovják with Matěj Coufal and Lubomír Jarcovják with Luďek and Simona del Maschio.

People of all ages from Šarovy and surroundgins attend the openings and accompanying programmes. Among the non-locals, it is usually people with a connection to the place and the exhibiting artists. Promotion is generally limited to personal invitation or through email and postal invitations. However, the specific nature of the home gallery also attracts a number of visitors for the exhibitions.

The gallery is currently in a phase of significant decline and transition. Rochovanský has sold his house in Šarovy and moved to Catalonia, but he intends to continue the small-scale realisations in Šarovy and the surrounding area, focusing on the nature of the community event and shared experience. Such events have already taken place, such as the exhibition by Jakub Jarcovják and Matěj Coufal, and the installation of the wooden forest lounge that Rochovanský created with Carmen S. Esplandiu.