Gočárova automatic mills will be taken over by artists

Pardubice - Automatic mills designed by architect Josef Gočár will be taken over by artists. The mills will cease production, and the freed spaces will be made available by the property owners for cultural events during the period from May to June. Zdeněk Závodný, the dramaturge of Divadlo 29, told ČTK this.
     "We are preparing a series of cultural events that should take place from the end of May to the end of June," said Závodný.
     It has been confirmed that there will be a musical performance called Divadlo Gočár, written by Miloš Orson Štědroň. Audiences can look forward to singing architects of the 20th century, and the main characters of the play include not only Josef Gočár but also Pavel Janák and Josip Plečnik. The preliminary program also includes a performance by the Automatic Improvisation Orchestra, a loose grouping of musicians engaged in improvisation.
     "We are also the organizers of the regional part of the Tanec Praha festival. We would like to present one performance in the space of Gočár's mills," said Závodný.
     Tomáš Kolda, the director of the Pardubice mills, confirmed to ČTK that the GoodMills company is in favor of the idea. Almost everything has already been cleared from the premises, with about five percent of the equipment remaining to be removed. Only the semolina dryer and the packaging lines are still in operation, Kolda said.
     The festival will also include a seminar on how to use the mills in the future. The company currently has no buyers. "We want the public to experience an unconventional cultural experience in unconventional spaces and at the same time open the topic of the use of Gočár's mills," said Závodný.
     The events will most likely take place on the upper floor of the building, which can accommodate up to 150 visitors. The organizers will have to secure the floors because there are holes for flour distribution in them.
     The automatic mills were built between 1911 and 1925 and are among the city's landmarks. The construction is based on the Anglo-Saxon tradition and is characterized by the raw masonry of dark and light bricks.