Born 23 rdof July 1937 in Zlín.
Painter and graphic artist.

Studied at the Secondary Applied Arts School in Uherské Hradiště (1952 – 1956) and the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (1957 – 1963; Karel Souček, Vlastimil Rada). Has exhibited as part of a group since 1966, and on his own since the year 1967. He emigrated in the year 1976. Over the years 1968 – 1976 created fifty-three film posters

He was known as a poet and since 60´s as a graphic artist as well (he cooperated with Václav Špála Gallery led by Jindřich Chalupecký). In 1967 he visited Paris for the first time, he spent some time in Rome and Florence a year later. He cooperated with the Gallery Wendorf-Swetec in Düsseldorf and on 1st July 1976 left for an intership in France.
In 1977 he worked in Nogent-sur-Marne in a former studio of sculptor Marcel Gimond and prepared a single exhibition which was offered him by Paul Gauzit Gallery in Lyon. Before preparings of the exhibition were finished, Czech embassy refused to prolong his residence permit and he applied for an asylum. Since 1978 he has worked in a studio in rue de Louvre, Paris and cooperated with art foundry of Coubertin Foundation in Saint-Rémy-lčs-Chevreuse. In 1980 he published collection of poetry „The House of the Others“ on his own costs and got the French citzenship a year later.
During a tenure of François Mitterand, from 1992 to 1993, as an order of the French Ministry of Culture and Presidential Office he realized his best sculptural works: The Sunny Boat and Antropomorphous Architecture. Karel Zlín participated in thirty collective exhibitions and realized four single exhibitions. He created a large-scale poem work as well.

During 1968-1976 designed 53 film posters.