Jiří Šetlík
★ 1929 in Prague
1940-1948
Studies at the Czech-Russian Gymnasium and at the Real Gymnasium in Prague Michle.
1946
Joins the Social Democratic Party.
1948-1952
Studies art history at the Prague Philosophical Faculty under prof. Antonín Matějíček, Jan Květ, Jaromír Pešina and the aesthetics of Jan Mukařovský. After the merger of the Social Democratic Party with the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia he becomes a member.
1950-1954
Military service.
1956-1958
Research assistantship at the Institute of History and the theory of Art of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences.
1958-1964
Becomes head of the collection of modern art at the National Gallery in Prague. Together with his colleagues he prepares exhibitions of Antonín Slavíček, Jan Preisler, Josef Kaplický, Otto Gutfreund and others. Participates in the concept of a permanent exhibition of modern art in the National Gallery and in the preparation of a Czech exhibition for the World Exhibition in Brussels. In 1964 is compelled to leave the National Gallery. Accepts the position of editor-in-chief of the journal Umělecká práce.
1964-1968
Elected chairman of the theoretical section of the Union of Artists. Is a member of the editorial board of Fine Art magazine. Is a member of a team of workers preparing the World’s Fair in Montreal. Lectures externally on art history at the Academy of Fine Arts and at the University of November 17th. Contributes art reviews to Literární noviny and Plamen. Appointed a member of a working team to prepare the World Exhibition in Osaka.
1967-1968
Six-month scholarship in the United States.
1968
Appointed director of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, where he participates in the new organizational structure.
1970
Expelled from the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, deprived of all functions and public activities. Works as a construction technician at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.
With the advent of Normalization, the group UB 12 began to dissolve and was officially banned in 1970.
Based on biographical data of the members of UB12 up to 1970 in: SLAVICKÁ Milena. UB 12 - Studies, interviews, documents. Prague: Gallery in cooperation with Gema Art a o.s. OSVU, 2006, pp. 306-311
