Czech Republic will be represented at the biennale in Venice by Stanislav Kolíbal

"I am glad to have been selected, even though it happened at my advanced age. It is an honor for me to present my work in the Czech and Slovak pavilion at such a prestigious showcase of art as the Venice Biennale. Participation is a challenge for me, and I firmly believe that I will be able to present the essence of my many years of work by combining older works with entirely new ones in a project that responds to the space of the pavilion designed by architect Otakar Novotný," said Kolíbal.

According to the spokesperson, the jury's choice of Stanislav Kolíbal honored the lifelong work of a pioneer of Czech avant-garde art, which continuously influences even the youngest artistic generation.

"Kolíbal's design highlights the masterful architecture of the Czechoslovak pavilion by architect Novotný and conceptually responds to the curatorial theme of the upcoming biennale, which is art as a possible answer to the complexity of today's times," said the jurors. They characterize Kolíbal's work and artistic opinion as humble. "Stanislav Kolíbal's work will stand up at any international exhibition, but its significance is also specifically local. The works from the mid-1960s were not valued at the time of their creation, given the political situation in Czechoslovakia, and so Kolíbal's presentation at the biennale is an opportunity to rectify this reality and celebrate a work that continues on to future generations," stated commission member, director of the Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Penelope Curtis.

The Venice Biennale attracts more than half a million visitors annually. The first edition was held in 1895, and Czechoslovakia has participated since 1920. The Czech and Slovak pavilion designed by architect Otakar Novotný in 1926 is considered one of the most valuable buildings in the Giardini di Castello complex, according to the National Gallery.