Player (exhibition) | Collection of Leon Tsoukernik

An exhibition of Czech and world art from the private collection of Leon Tsoukernik.

Do you know that feeling when your eyes dart from one place to another and can't decide what to focus on first? This is exactly what every art-loving visitor experiences in the house of Leon Tsoukernik. Your gaze is naturally drawn to the large canvas by Emil Filla, but along the way, you notice the delicate lyrical painting by Josef Šíma and quickly skip on to Jindřich Štyrský, Toyen, or Vasilij Kandinsky. One significant name follows another, and you can't shake the feeling that walking through this house is like flipping through the pages of art history textbooks. Leon Tsoukernik's name has been associated with his gaming empire for many years. However, his player nature is by no means limited to business; he plays the high game as an art collector as well. In the world of investments, which also applies to the art market, the term "blue chip" has become established. This special term coincidentally refers to casino gaming, where blue chips hold the highest value. If you hear mention of blue chip art, it refers to the most valuable works by the most established authors. Leon Tsoukernik (1973) Entrepreneur, collector, and philanthropist Leon Tsoukernik was born in Moscow to a family of academics. At the age of sixteen, he moved to Israel and lived in several other countries before relocating to the Czech Republic in the 1990s, where he originally came for a short vacation. A week turned into thirty years. In the Czech Republic, Leon Tsoukernik spent several years dealing in antiques, operating a brick-and-mortar store in Dejvice where he primarily sold paintings and Biedermeier furniture. Later, as a passionate poker player, he became the owner of the King's Casino and Resort in Rozvadov. Throughout this time, he has been dedicated to collecting art. Leon Tsoukernik speaks eight languages, holds a black belt in judo, sponsors the Plzeň hockey team, has never stepped into a supermarket, and does not use email or a computer. He is currently working on a project for a new synagogue in Mariánské Lázně. He is married and has two children. As part of the exhibition "The Player," we are organizing guided tours for the public. Admission is free; please register using the form in the link.