Insignie rytíře Řádu umění a literatury v úterý převzaly na francouzském velvyslanectví v Praze novinářka Irena Jirků, scenáristka a ilustrátorka Lucie Lomová a spisovatelka a malířka Lenka Horňáková-Civade.
Irena Jirků is a Czech journalist and writer who has worked as editor-in-chief at several Czech media outlets. She is currently a freelance journalist and contributor to Hospodářské noviny and Aktuálně.cz. She is also deputy director of the Charter 77 Foundation and the Konto bariéry collection. In the Czech Republic, she is mainly dedicated to the promotion of French culture and literature.
Lucie Lomová is a Czech comic book author, illustrator and artist. She is the winner of the 2011 Muriel Comics Prize, where she was awarded Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Czech Comic for her graphic novel Divoši, and the 2007 Best Original Book for Anna Wants to Jump. Her books are published in Czech and French. She is the author of the comic book The Institute Remembers created for the centenary of the French Institute in Prague.
Lenka Horňáková-Civade is a writer and painter. She was born in Prostějov and has exhibited in the Czech Republic and France. She has published several books in French, among her books published only in Czech are Provence as a Dream and Truffles. Her latest novel, La symphonie du nouveau monde (Symphony of the New World), was published in Czech in 2020 by Argo.
The Order of Arts and Letters rewards persons who have distinguished themselves through their artistic or literary work or who have contributed to the flourishing of art and literature in France and the world. It has three degrees: knight, officer and commander. For example, the film critic Eva Zaoral became an officer ten years ago, when she turned 80.
Among the recipients of the Order are Czech artists such as filmmakers Jiří Menzel and Věra Chytilová, poet Petr Král, opera singers Magdalena Kožená and Eva Urbanová, painters Adriena Šimotová and Adolf Born, photographer Josef Koudelka, writer Bohumil Hrabal and art historian Anna Fárová. Former President Václav Havel also received the award for his dramatic work.