“Sanitka”: A Haunting Photographic Exhibition Explores Bystander Effect
A compelling exhibition titled “Sanitka” (Ambulance) is currently on display at the Czech Photo Centre in Prague, showcasing the work of three Czech photographers – Ivo Gil, Karel Cudlín and Dan Materna – and their decades-long exploration of a disturbing phenomenon: the presence of onlookers at accident scenes. The exhibition, inspired by Ray Bradbury’s short story “The Crowd,” delves into the unsettling dynamic between emergency responders, victims, and the often-passive observers who gather at the scene.
Bradbury’s Influence and the Exhibition’s Concept
The exhibition’s conceptual foundation lies in Bradbury’s 1940s short story, published in Czechoslovakia in the early 1960s. “The Crowd” depicts a protagonist who notices a recurring, unsettling pattern: a crowd seems to anticipate accidents, appearing before or during the event itself. This leads to a chilling realization that the crowd may be an embodiment of death. The photographers were independently drawn to this theme although documenting emergency medical situations.
Three Perspectives, Three Eras
The exhibition presents a unique comparative study through the photographers’ work, spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s. Ivo Gil began his “Sanitka” series in 1971 while studying at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU), gaining access to the Ostrava rapid rescue service. Karel Cudlín photographed similar scenes in the late 1980s for Czechoslovak Television, as part of a program examining public indifference during accidents. Due to technical limitations, Cudlín’s work often documented the situation from a distance. Dan Materna’s photographs, taken in the early 1990s, were created while working for a medical weekly, accompanying ambulance crews on calls.
A Shared Observation: The Onlookers
Despite the different time periods and approaches, all three photographers observed a common element: the presence of bystanders. Materna noted the tension, the chilling silence, and the concentration of doctors and nurses, but too the people who stopped to watch, creating a backdrop reminiscent of Bradbury’s story. He described witnessing situations “on the edge between life and death” and even assisting with resuscitations during his time with ambulance crews. Czech Photo Centre.
Exhibition Details
The “Sanitka” exhibition opened on February 26, 2026, with a vernissage attended by all three photographers and Veronika Souralová, director of Czech Photo. Zdeněk Křivánek, Deputy of the Emergency Medical Service of the Capital City of Prague, also attended and addressed the guests. The exhibition is open to the public until April 19, 2026, at the Czech Photo Centre, Seydlerova 2835/4, Prague 5, open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Facebook.
Curatorial Vision
The exhibition was curated by Dan Materna, who recognized the thematic connections between the three photographers’ work and the enduring relevance of Bradbury’s story. Materna, a member of the Czech Photo team, has been involved with the Czech Press Photo competition since 2021. LinkedIn.