(May 12, 2025, Chomutov) – Another America by Slovak artist Lujza Marečková has been on view since the end of April as a dual exhibition in Chomutov and in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, the birthplace of Karl May. The series of large-format photographs documents Marečková’s horseback journey through Argentina, capturing the everyday life of gauchos, the South American cattle herders.

The Czech part of the exhibition is installed until August 5 at Galerie město located at the Chomutov-město train station and in the pedestrian underpass near the main bus terminal. In Germany, the exhibition is hosted by Silberbüchse e.V., a partner of the Karl May Haus, at Dresdner Strasse 67 in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. Visitors can explore the space every Sunday from 2 PM to 6 PM until June 8, after which it will house a new exhibition featuring historic photographs by Hermann Krausse, who documented the Ore Mountains between 1904 and 1930. His previous exhibition in Chomutov attracted nearly 800 visitors.

The exhibition is part of the Czech-German-Canadian art initiative Try Walking in May Shoes, a project inspired by the imaginative world of Karl May. Just as May once envisioned a fictional North America, today’s artists – including those from Canada – are invited to co-create new heroes and stories rooted in the Ore Mountains.

"The main program featuring exhibitions, films in production, workshops, and theatre will unfold in the fall. But already now, it's worth making time to visit Karl May’s hometown and combine the exhibition with a tour of the inspiring Karl May Haus," said curator Tereza Koranda Dvořáková, currently working in British Columbia with local artists to prepare the autumn program in the Czech Republic and Germany.

Try Walking in May Shoes is an official program partner of Chemnitz 2025 – European Capital of Culture. The initiative is coordinated by the creative duo Redpond.cz, Ženský spolek, Silberbüchse e.V., Chomutov Regional Museum, Atelierhaus Kuhnhaide, and the company Lucatisk. The project is supported by Chemnitz 2025, the Ústí Region, the Czech-German Future Fund, and the Via Foundation.

About Lujza Marečková:
Her work explores the fragile balance between reality and abstraction, revealing the poetry of everyday life and responding sensitively to contemporary social issues. In recent years, her photography has been exhibited in both Slovakia and abroad. She holds a master’s degree from the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava (2020) and a bachelor’s degree from Canterbury Christ Church University. During her studies, she completed an Erasmus year at FAMU in Prague, gaining valuable experience in the film industry.
Alongside her artistic practice, she also works as a curator and exhibition organizer, collaborating with various institutions and artistic collectives.