Jan Spidlen will speak of the long tradition of violin-making in Prague, Czech Republic, as well as the broader idea of craft when he presents a lecture on behalf of the University of Iowa Museum of Art Monday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Room 240 of Art Building West.

The talk is a presentation of the Jeanne & Richard Levitt Lectureship: American Crafts in Context and is free and open to the public. Art Building West is located at 141 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City.

Spidlen is world-renowned as a master creator of exceptional string instruments. He is also the recipient of numerous prizes at international violin-making competitions, for which he also serves as a juror. Born into a family of famous violinmakers, he continues the musical heritage of the Czech people, as well as that of his family workshop.

He studied woodcarving at various prestigious institutions, including the Art and Industrial School in Prague, the Mittenwald Violin Making School in Germany and the London-based firm J & A Beare, where he worked as a restorer. For more than a decade, Spidlen has been a member of the Violin Makers’ Artists’ Circle and was inducted into the Entente Internationale des Maîtres Luthiers et Archetiers d’Art (International Society of Violin and Bow Makers) in 2003.

At the jubilee Tenth Triennale, an international violin-making competition in Cremona, Italy, Spidlen reached an astonishing and rare level of achievement, earning the first and second prizes for his two violin entries, as well as two other prizes for the best tone and workmanship of the whole competition.

He lives with his family in Prague, where he manufactures new violins and continues the legacy of his family’s workshop.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to attend this lecture, contact Elizabeth Wallace in advance at 319-353-2847 or elizabeth-m-wallace@uiowa.edu

Visit the UI Museum of Art website for more information about the UIMA’s collections, exhibitions, and education programming.

After the June 2008 flooding of the UIMA's former Riverside Drive home, the building was deemed unsuitable for the return of artwork. However, the UIMA collection was saved, and through the use of temporary facilities and creative outreach, the UIMA continues to offer the invaluable experience of art to the University, the community, Iowans and others at these locations:

UIMA@IMU Visual Classroom, Iowa Memorial Union, Room 376

125 North Madison Street, Iowa City, IA 52242

Black Box Theater, Iowa Memorial Union, third floor

125 North Madison Street, Iowa City, IA 52242

Figge Art Museum

225 West Second St., Davenport, IA 52801