SIMA, JOSEF

Josef Šíma (March 18, 1891 Bohemia, Czech Republic – July 24, 1971 Paris, France) was of the most important representatives of Surrealism and later of abstract painting after the Second World War.

Šíma was co-founder of the artist group Devětsil in Prague in 1920. In the same year he moved to Paris and joined the movement of the surrealists.
In 1926 he accepted French citizenship.

In 1927 he began collaborating with the authors of the literary-philosophical journal Le Grand Jeu.
Šíma became the artistic director of the magazine.

He also remained closely connected with the artistic and literary avant-garde of Prague.
In 1934 founded the group of “Czech Surrealists”.