Background
Jifi Sever was born in 1904 in Czechoslovakia.
Jifi Sever was born in 1904 in Czechoslovakia.
He studied at the Technical University, Faculty of Chemical Technology, receiving an Ing. degree (similar to an MSc) and, in 1927, a doctorate. He was self-taught in photography.
In his activities as a chemist, he was known as Dr. Vojtech Cech, but in all other endeavors as Jin Sever, a name that related to his association with radio and jazz, of which he was a connoisseur. He also served as an adviser on French literature in a publishing house.
Quotes from others about the person
Petr Tausk said of Sever's photography, "The unique work of Jin Sever was strongly influenced by the surrealism with which he came into touch with regard to his predilection for French poetry. Sever made from his images of various 'objets trouvés' closed cycles showing his admiration for the hidden poetry in the real world."