David Lynch retrospective Up in Flames to open at Prague’s DOX art gallery in June

A major retrospective of David Lynch’s artwork, titled Up in Flames, will open at Prague’s DOX Centre for Contemporary Art on June 19. The show presents a wide-ranging look at the late filmmaker’s creative output—from drawings and lithographs to photographs and experimental films—and was developed with his input shortly before his death earlier this year.

Lynch, best known for directing Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and Twin Peaks, was directly involved in the exhibition’s planning in 2024. He met with curator Otto M. Urban to approve the final concept and selection of works.

Lynch died suddenly on January 16, 2025, just one day after expressing his enthusiasm for the project and its Prague venue. His estate has since worked with DOX to reschedule the opening for mid-June and ensure the show meets the artist’s standards.

Curated with Lynch’s guidance

Though the Up in Flames exhibition spans decades of Lynch’s visual work—from the late 1960s to the present—space constraints made a careful curatorial approach necessary. According to Urban, the team wanted to create a cohesive and structured presentation, one that would allow different types of work to enter into conversation with one another.

“We wanted to present the project to David Lynch in advance as his artistic oeuvre is so extensive that even with a large exhibition space such as DOX it was necessary to narrow down the selection of works,” Urban said through a press release.

“It was important to consider the exhibition as a whole – its structure and the rhythm in which the works enter into dialogue with each other, giving rise to new connections and contexts. David Lynch acquainted himself with the project during our personal meeting, and he had no objections to the proposed concept or the selection itself.”

A significant portion of the exhibited works comes from the David Lynch Estate in Los Angeles, while others—including lithographs and photography—were sourced from Item éditions in Paris. The show features both early pieces and recent work, highlighting the continuity of themes and visual language across Lynch’s artistic career.

A final connection to Prague

David Lynch has long had a connection to the Czech capital: he visited Prague on numerous occasions over the years to record the soundtracks to his films Blue Velvet, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive.

Plans for the Prague exhibition had been years in the making, but it was only in 2024 that a meeting with Lynch became possible, facilitated by Patrice Forest of Item éditions. That meeting proved to be critical in shaping the final version of the show—and became Lynch’s last interaction with an exhibition of his work.

“David and I spoke about this show the day before he passed,” said Michael T. Barile of the David Lynch Estate. “He loved the images he’d seen of DOX and was looking forward to seeing his art in that space. He had confidence in Otto, and he was excited to share his work with the people of Prague.”

Barile added that Lynch’s sudden death dramatically altered the project’s trajectory.

“When he died, it seemed like the world stopped turning and time froze. There was never a doubt that we wanted the show to continue, but the logistics of meeting the original opening date became daunting and more complicated,” Barile said.

“The only way that we could do the show – and do it right – would be to push the opening and buy us some time. It’s not ideal, but this is an unprecedented circumstance. I’m so grateful to Otto, Leoš, Michaela, and everyone at DOX for understanding and for giving us the time needed to put on a show worthy of David’s work!”

The Up in Flames exhibition runs from June 19, 2025, to Feb. 8, 2026. It will be accompanied by a wide range of related programming, including film screenings, talks, and events focused on experimental music and literature. The show marks one of the final projects Lynch helped shape personally—and one of the first large-scale retrospectives of his visual work to be held in Central Europe.

Lead photo: David Lynch | Man Laughing, 2013, courtesy David Lynch Estate and Item éditions