Architect Ivo Klimeš: The World of Architecture and Theater - Book Launch

On Thursday, April 30, 2015, at 5:00 PM in the foyer of the Jiří Myron Theatre, the book The World of Architecture and Theatre - Architect Ivo Klimeš will be launched, presenting the work of architect Ivo Klimeš, who spent his professional life in Ostrava.
The key works of Ivo Klimeš are theatre buildings, which therefore became the backbone of the entire book. However, the aim of the publication was not only to discuss architecture or the very specific field of theatre buildings, but also to address the theatrical space and its development. Theatre buildings uniquely create the framework for theatrical events, which arise through the artistic contributions of the director, set designer, and performers into an already existing space, and ultimately the presence of the audience.
In theatre buildings, the architect's visions meet the demands of other artistic professions. Therefore, the authors of the book are not only historians of architecture and art and theatre theorists, but also directors and set designers. It is precisely because of this interdisciplinary dialogue that the book is entirely unique in the Czech context.
The central part of the book is a conversation between the editors – Lenka Popelová and Eva Špačková with Ivo Klimeš, chronologically addressing all significant aspects of Klimeš's work. The conversation is supplemented by texts that detail the character of the theatre buildings in Most, Ostrava, and Opava, penned by Martin Strakoš and Radomíra Sedláková. Other contributions focus on key and exceptional aspects of Klimeš's creativity and uncover the historical, cultural, and social ties that his buildings create. The texts by Martin Strakoš and Petr Urlich place Ivo Klimeš's work in the context of contemporary architectural creation of late modernism. Lenka Popelová examines the extent of influence that competition entries held between 1956 and 1968 had on the development of theatre typology in our country. For Ivo Klimeš’s professional career, participation in these competitions, in which he gradually developed his vision of variable theatrical space, was crucial. Ivo Klimeš's work is also characterized by its overlap into fine arts. Marie Šťastná, in her contribution, analyzed both Ivo Klimeš's own artistic work and his collaboration with artists. Eva Špačková's interview with Radim Ulmann maps not only Ivo Klimeš's cooperation with this well-known interior designer. In the next part of the publication, leading directors, set designers, and theatre critics describe.
The text was written by: Albert Pražák, Ladislav Vrchovský, Radovan Lipus, and Zbyněk Srba.
The publication is supplemented with a selective overview of Ivo Klimeš's projects. The texts are accompanied by often little-known, previously unpublished photographs and plans.