The group of artists Skupina 7 is a phenomenon in Liberec. In 1959, seven men, artists of various creative disciplines and genres, came together. The artists had no common theme, only friendship and a desire to create and exhibit freely. The founding members were sculptor Jiří Seifert, painters Vladimír Komárek and Josef Hýsek, textile artist Vladimír Křečan, graphic artist Vladimír Sobolevič, painter and teacher Jiří David and industrial artist, painter and illustrator Miloslav Jágr. They were joined a year later by painter, graphic artist and teacher Pavel Šulc and glass artist Ladislav Oliva. Even though the number of group members exceeded the magic number of seven just a year later, they retained and continued to exhibit under the name Skupina 7.
Until 1967 the group held its annual exhibition in the North Bohemian Museum in Liberec, in a hall that bears the name Sedma (Seven) to this day. Members of the group also exhibited individually or as part of group exhibitions organised under the banner of the Union of Czechoslovak Artists in the Museum of Fine Arts Liberec. In addition to exhibitions in Liberec, the group has also presented its work in Prague, Děčín, Brno and Olomouc. A total of 11 exhibitions were held. The last one was organised at the turn of 1966 and 1967 on the premises of the North Bohemian Museum. The reason for the end of the group cannot be associated with the political events of 1968. The group's active work ended rather spontaneously with the exhaustion of exhibition activities and the full schedules of some of its members.
However, the invasion of Soviet troops and the onset of the period known as normalisation meant the end of the relaxed and hopeful atmosphere of the 60s and the freedom of creative artistic activity. Because of their political stances, some of the group's members were not in favour of the ruling establishment and were forced to retreat into seclusion. Most of the group's members signed the "Appeal to fellow citizens", which was written at the home of the Seiferts, where, coincidentally, Václav Havel and Jan Tříska were visiting at that dramatic moment. An appeal calling for civil disobedience against the occupiers, for small-scale sabotage... The signatories of this appeal, besides Havel and Tříska (and many other important names), included Mr and Mrs Seifert, Vladimír Komárek, Josef Hýsek and Jan Schmid.
Josef Hýsek was removed from public life and only engaged in restoration work until his death. In 1970, the Seiferts were forced to leave Liberec, marking the end of one of the most important stages in the existence of the Museum of Fine Arts Liberec.
