Marie Imbrova, Ph.D. - Official Website - Archive 2012
Press and Media 2012
Press and Media in 2012:
December 2012
Article Title: THAT GREAT LADY IN THE HAT
Source: Magazine KRASNA PANI, Rubric - World Around Us, Pages 80 - 81, December 20, 2012/Zdenka Petakova and Dr. Marie Imbrova
Mrs. Marie Imbrova is a lady in the hat, reminiscent of the old romantic times. Why not? After all, this woman connects up directly to a traveller's and collecting activities of Emil Holub, on charitable activities of Vojta Naprstek and their times when a civic activism had not only an extreme importance, that to it indeed still remains, but had also clearly visible results. As Emil Holub - and many others from earlier times, like Joy Adams or Karen Blixen - also Marie Imbrova let her heart in Africa. She did not found Africa of colonial times, still quite slick and understandable. She found it in the early 21st century, full of contradictions and on the way. She found it full of places, where it is necessary to put a hand to a work...
You can read the entire article here (available in Czech language only).
Link: www.krasnapani.cz
December 2012
Article Title: HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE VI.: The Year 2009 - A Swan Song of Zimbabwean Currency
Source: M&B - Journal about Coins, Banknotes and Medals, Volume 5, No. 6/2012, Pages 60 - 63, December 15, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
My return to the Czech Republic, including my departure from the services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic was meant quite seriously and with all the consequences. I looked forward to go home. I just could not forget about my friends in Zimbabwe and especially children in Tengenenge. And so, I returned immediately in the second half of January 2009. With an ordinary passport, an ordinary visa, and for 30 days only. And I found a job, together with my photographer, Eric Gauss, we drove through Zimbabwe and mapped for the the EU Delegation a situation of the stone sculpture in the country. This work was published later by the EU Delegation.
My 5 000 USD, which I imported to ensure this one month stay in the country, proved to be sufficient for accommodation, buying fuel, food and children's party in Tengenenge. I underestimated just one little thing. I did not have enough small bills, so I used to go to exchange a one hundred US dollar bill in prestigious hotels in the city, where I had also the majority of my official meetings and I used to pay around 4-6 USD for an average cup of coffee or 10 USD for a glass of excellent South African wine. It should be added, however, that my guests were workers from the galleries or from worker the newly occupied Ministry of Culture...
The entire sixth part of a six-part serial of HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE you can read here (available in Czech language only).
November 2012
TV Interview: MARIE IMBROVA: TO LOVE AFRICA
Source: CZECH TELEVISION, Channel CT24, Programme Profile: Marie Imbrova, November 21, 2012, 09:40 a.m./Patricie Strouhalova
On November 21, 2012, Dr. Marie Imbrova was invited by the Czech Television to be a guest in its Programme Profile on the Channel CT24, which was moderated by Patricia Strouhalova.
She longed for Africa already since her childhood, but at that time to her dream no one believed. She entered the Black Continent until a few decades later, as a woman in charge of leadership of the Czech Embassy in Zimbabwe ...
You can see the TV record of the entire Patricie Strouhlova's interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.ceskatelevize.cz (available in Czech language only).
November 2012
Radio Interview: WHEN MONEY LOSES ITS VALUE
Source: Czech Radio - Leonardo, Programme: The 7th Continent, November 10, 2012/Tereza Hronova
In 2008, the people paid in African Zimbabwe up to a hundred billion dollar note. In fact, the country was hit by so called hyperinflation.
Zimbabwe experienced under the Government of President Robert Mugabe an economic collapse and a world's largest inflation. At the outset of all, there was a Mugabe's idea to expropriate and redistribute the land of white farmers. But as a result of his steps, Zimbabwe began to hurtle into a deep financial abyss.
The crisis reached its peak in the year 2008 and Zimbabwe is dealing with its consequences until today. Moreover, according to the statistics, it is one of the countries where many children die at birth. There are about 3 hospital beds for one thousand persons and over 14 % of the people are infected with HIV. The same percentage of children is suffering from a malnutrition.
About Zimbabwe in the critical year 2008, Mrs. Teresa Hronova spoke with Mrs. Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert and a former diplomat that worked in Zimbabwe at this time. Their conversation can be heard at www.rozhlas.cz (available in Czech language only).
November 2012
Article Title: DO NOT MISS THIS UNIQUE EXHIBITION OF AFRICAN JEWELLERY!
Source: BLESK.CZ HOBBY, Internet Magazine, November 02, 2012, 02:47 p.m./Jana Ulrichova
The visitors of the Prague Afrobailar Festival have a unique chance to admire authentic African jewellery from a private collection of Marie Imbrova (52), an African Studies Expert, from Cernochov in the Louny Region.
To see here, there will be sixty exhibits that the owner assembled from her historical part of the collection and contemporary jewels.
Extraordinary Hobby
Marie Imbrova, who worked for several years in diplomacy, particularly at Embassies in Kenya and Zimbabwe, builds up her collection of African jewels since 1997. "I visited eighteen African countries, where I bought the first individual jewels for my personal use. Since 2010, I present them at protected exhibitions and social events," she said, adding that at present she has about 50 historically valuable jewels, which she exhibits, as well as 80 jewels by the modern African jewellery makers and other 160 interesting pieces from marketplaces or directly from ethnic groups such as Masai, Samburu, Tonga etc. "She consults their quality regularly in Kenya with the collector Ms. Rhodia Mann and collectors of African jewels in the U.S.," she added ...
You can read the entire article of Jana Ulrichova at www.hobby.blesk.cz (available in Czech language only).
October 2012
Article Title: HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE V.: A Duel Between the U.S. Dollar and the South African Rand
Source: M&B - Journal about Coins, Banknotes and Medals, Volume 5, No. 5/2012, Pages 49 - 53, October 15, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Who lived the whole year 2008 in Zimbabwe, in the autumn of the same year, already nothing surprised him. It was after the election, nothing substantial was solved, the world was covered by other reports and disasters. In Zimbabwe, it continued dying of hunger, but also extremely grew rich, depending on who had the real power, access to raw materials and cash in any convertible currency and not in inflationary Zimbabwean dollars of the third generation (official abbreviation ZWS), which even the locals were not interested in.
Since July 2008, it was applied from the command of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe a limit which can be selected directly in cash, and this one was set at 100 billion Zimbabwean dollars per day, which as early as three days after insertion was not enough to buy even a loaf of bread, and so belatedly the bank responded to the increase of the limits for the whole semester. For such an "amount", really it was not possible to drive into the bank or to go only in the event that a man needed for something a wad of banknotes like a padding, as a background for the "new street art piece" or to pass as souvenir to the friends abroad. A real possibility of buying the food products was only for the U.S. dollars, which are smuggled into the country, or for the South African rands, which in the autumn of 2008 had a significant position in Harare...
The entire fifth part of a six-part serial of HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE you can read here (available in Czech language only).
October 2012
Article title: TREASURES OF THE BLACK CONTINENT
Source: XANTYPA - Cultural and Social Monthly, No. 10, October 2012, Rubric - Letter from Africa, Page 19/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Africa is an amazing continent. Multilayered traditional culture encounters here the modern painting and sculpture. You can see here performaces, various forms of theater and visual abstraction.
After enchantment by the precise craft, to which I indeed remained faithful, in a mature age - led by the desire to understand the African art - I entered the world of collectors of modern African artefacts and let me absorb by it...
October 2012
Article Title: THE TENGENENGE STORY CONTINUES...
Source: Internet Magazine CESKY DIALOG - CZECH DIALOGUE - Connecting Czechs at Home and Abroad, Rubric - Czechs in the World, No. 10/2012, October 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Those of you who read The Czech Dialogue regularly may recall the happy faces of Zimbabwe children and of the sculptures created in Tengenenge. Also you may remember the information about active Czech volunteers in this unique village.
Changes in this region are slow. The people depend on selling their sculptures which are world famous.
The access to the village is hard - one has to cross some territory owned by a Chinese firm. Until recently, all the children were required to become sculptors regardless of their wishes or talents.
This fact is being changed due to the support of an organization called Club of Tengenenge Friends in the Czech Republic. See also www.tengenenge.cz. There is now a school for the children called Horse Shoe - nine kilometers away from the village. The children have to walk there through the crooked lanes in the bush when the weather is dry. They are often absent from school because they have to help their parents with the sculptures. Still the school meets the goal - to make sure that all children have the same access to education.
The school building is still being improved under the leadership of the Club’s founder Marie Imbrova and her architect friend Stepanka Chaloupkova. Their plans for the future include building a kitchen which would be run by local women, also raising chickens and making toys for children to strengthen their financial situation. The first dolls had already been sent to the Czech Republic and they had been sold.
At the present time the Club is planning - together with an African Sculptures Organization - a benefit on November 8 at the Holiday Inn in Prague. All of you are welcome to attend. You can also contribute using the account at the Ceska sporitelna 2390465389/0800.
For more information about the lecture or other questions, please write to pratele@tengenenge.cz
Link: www.cesky-dialog.net
September 2012
Article Title: BIOGRAPHICAL EXHIBITION ON GENERAL FRANTISEK FAJTL IN PERUC
Source: CzechFolks.com PLUS - More Articles, More Entertainment - September 05, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
With a respect and humbleness, this weekend I go back to Peruc, to a small private Plazik gallery. In the moderate exhibition room of a family house, its owner succeeded to prepare an interesting and historically valuable exhibition on the life of Colonel Frantisek Fajtl.
This legendary figure of the Czechoslovak Air Force was in the region commemorated by several significant events in his native Donin, the hundredth anniversary of his birth was the reason of an amazing air show, but the real tribute to his life and legacy I just feel in this small house where from photos and documents I can follow the life path of an ordinary boy from Donin at the Business Academy in Teplice and finally his career of a pilot. Extremely courageous, proud and admired. From the images I also feel, as he loved the Peruc region...
You can read the entire article of Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.czechfolks.com (available in Czech language only).
August 2012
Newspaper Interview: MARIE IMBROVA FELT IN LOVE WITH AFRICA
Source: Louny and Zatec Weekly 5+2 Days, Volume I, No. 17, Page 12 - Usti Region, August 16, 2012/Mirka Strnadova
A woman from the Louny district is fulfilling her childhood dream. She went to Africa, where she worked as a diplomat, now she is helping a local art village.
Cernochov - Marie Imbrova was anxious for Africa from her childhood. While many of us never realize our childhood dreams, she has succeeded. As a diplomat, she worked in several countries of the Black Continent. Although she left the diplomatic services already five years ago, a strong tie to Africa, she is feeling to this day. A sense of her work, she found in the Tengenenge art community. She promotes the local art and founded the non-profit organization the Tengenenge Friends Club in the Czech Republic (Link: www.tengenenge.cz) ...
You can find the entire Mirka Strnadova's interview with Dr. Marie Imbrova here (available in Czech language only).
August 2012
Article Title: HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE IV.: The Post-Election Period - Undirected Chaos
Source: M&B - Journal about Coins, Banknotes and Medals, Volume 5, No. 4/2012, Pages 51 - 53, August 08, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Already the first few days after the election showed that there is nothing to celebrate. Although the opposition had to get into government, its role and share of power have not been defined and quite frankly, its leaders have started dividing up the pie of power and began to distrust each other...
A normal Zimbabwean then thought about why he did not run away from the country earlier and how to survive. In the country there were no basic food, no hygiene goods and other items, absolutely nothing... And the streets are littered by garbage, not been moved out (but thoroughly taken over). Harare began to smell, water did not go, with the power supply in various neighborhoods it ceased to count. The problem also had the "lucky ones" who had some money in the bank. Thanks to the August reform they did not lose their savings, but before they withdrew them in the new currency, the hyperinflation slashed their value to a tiny fraction. According to the latest official sources Zimbabwe scored another world record. In June, Zimbabwe saw the annual inflation rate of 11.27 millions of percent ...
The entire fourth part of a six-part serial of HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE you can read here (available in Czech language only).
August 2012
Article Title: AFRICAN JEWEL IS BEAUTIFUL ON A BODY AND EVEN IN A FLAT AS AN EXCEPTIONAL DECORATION
Source: MF DNES, Notebook B - Northern Bohemia, Page 4 B, August 06, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Until the end of September is seen at the Roudnice Chateau a collection of Marie Imbrova, African studies expert. On display there are sculptures, paintings and jewels. The collector characterized for MF DNES an African jewellery creation ...
You can read the entire article of Dr. Marie Imbrova here (available in Czech language only).
July 2012
Article Title: ROUDNICE CHATEAU AND CASTLE IS AGAIN ACCESSIBLE
Source: Litomericky denik.cz - News, July 31, 2012, 06:35 p.m./Editor
..."The Podripske Museum exhibition titled Contemporary African Art offers viewing the exposure from the collection of Marie Imbrova, African studies expert, that represents a variety of art works by contemporary artists of the Black Continent."...
You can read the entire article at www.litomericky.denik.cz (available in Czech language only).
July 2012
Article Title: EXHIBITION PRESENTS AFRICAN ART, VISITORS WILL SEE EVEN A POCKET BETHLEHEM
Source: iDNES.cz/Usti and Usti Region, News, July 22, 2012, 08:40 a.m./Jana Bertlova
The Castle in Roudnice nad Labem hosts an exhibition of art works by contemporary artists from the African continent. The event was organized by the Podripske Museum that hereby returns to the castle grounds after several decades.
The presented art works come from the collection of Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert. The exhibition presents attractive paintings, sculptures as well as ceramics, which show the current artistic feelings of African creators...
You can read the entire Jana Bertlova's article at www.usti.idnes.cz (available in Czech language only).
July 2012
TV Interview: ROUDNICE NAD LABEM: EXHIBITON "CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART"
Source: YouTube.com - July 15, 2012/Regional Television - Litomerice Region TV
The exhibition "CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART" is held in the Roudnice Castle, which is dedicated to African authors, exhibits are from the collection of Mrs. Imbrova, who is an African studies expert and visited Africa several times in her life.
The first trip to Africa of Mrs. Imbrova was held in 1997 and then she lived four years in Africa. Exhibits, which she brought from her trips, visitors can see up to September 30 ...
On July 3, 2012 at the opening of the exhibition, Dr. Marie Imbrova gave an interview to the Litomerice Region TV. You can find the record from her performance at www.youtube.com (available in Czech language only).
July 2012
Article Title: DJERBA - ISLAND OF SUN
Source: CzechFolks.com PLUS - More Articles, More Entertainment - July 14, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Hardly any island between Europe and Africa offers a combination of sea beaches and sunny days as the Djerba near the Tunisian shores. It is already mentioned in the ancient Greek heroic epics, was admired by the Romans, who then built a road that connects the island with the town of Zarzis on the mainland. However, the charm of Djerba was glorified not only by poets, but also by refugees from the destroyed Temple of Solomon, who settled here in 586 BC and whose descendants are living here in several villages to this day ...
Dr. Marie Imbrova visiting the Island of Djerba, Tunisia, June 2012
You can read the entire article of Dr. Marie Imbrova at www.czechfolks.com (available in Czech language only).
July 2012
Article Title: HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE III.: The Election Period - From Billions Again Back to the Denomination of One Dollar
Source: M&B - Journal about Coins, Banknotes and Medals, Volume 5, No. 3/2012, Pages 52 - 55, July 10, 2012/Dr. Marie Imbrova
Those few months since the first round of elections on March 29, 2008 to July 2008 when, after the resignation of his rival, Robert Mugabe was again confirmed in the office of the President, were the most difficult period in my diplomatic career, in the office, I finally left alone. However, at that time I could not leave the country, I would take it as my human failure. The family was on my side and in the country, in Zimbabwe, even remained my husband and my son.
We still did not accept guests and potential tourists in April 2008, we officially warned on the website of the Embassy as follows:
"In connection with the dramatically deteriorating economic situation in Zimbabwe, our Embassy in Harare do not recommend individual tourism to the territory. The country faces a shortage of fuel, basic food and electricity. The public transport does not work... "
The entire third part of a six-part serial of HYPERINFLATION IN ZIMBABWE you can read here
(available in Czech language only).
July 2012
Publication Title: CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART - ART WORKS FROM THE COLLECTION OF MARIE IMBROVA, AFRICAN STUDIES EXPERT
Source: Podripske Museum in Roudnice nad Labem, nam. Jana z Drazic 101, Roudnice nad Labem, July 03, 2012/Martin Trefny, Director and Dr. Marie Imbrova
The Podripske Museum in Roudnice nad Labem published with the financial support from the Company Plynoservis Stastka from Roudinice nad Labem on the occasion of the current exhibition of CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART from the collections of Dr. Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert, at the Lobkowicz Castle in Roudnice nad Labem, the catalogue in a limited edition of 100 pieces with a foreword by Martin Trefny, Podripske Museum Director.
The author of the catalogue text is Marie Imbrova.
The publication has in total 40 pages of rich photographic material with photographs by Jan Mrazek, Jiri Bouda and Eric Gauss.
The author of the printing rates and the entire layout of the publication is Jan Mrazek.
July 2012
Article Title: MUSEUM OPENS AN EXHIBITION ON AFRICAN ART IN THE CASTLE
Source: Roudnice Newspapers - Information Monthly for Roudnice nad Labem and Surrounding Communities, July-August 2012, Page 9 - Podripske Museum/Martin Trefny
In early July, it will be opened in the Roudnice Castle to the public an exhibition organized by the Podripske Museum, which will present a variety of art works by contemporary African authors.
The art works presented come from the collection of Marie Imbrova, an African studies expert, with which the museum has already cooperated in the past. So at the exhibition, which runs until the end of September, the visitors can see an attractive painting, sculptures, jewel as well as ceramics documenting the contemporary art feelings of many African creators…
You can find the entire Martin Trefny's article here (available in Czech language only).
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