Kaplický rejected the award given to him by the Ministry of Culture

Prague - Architect Jan Kaplický has refused to accept an award from the Ministry of Culture, which he believes is among those who hinder his project for the new National Library building. The ministry awarded him its prize for contributions to the field of visual arts and architecture, which it presents each year along with awards in music and theater.
    The jury decided to grant Kaplický the award for his extraordinary architectural work, which has brought fame to Czech architecture both at home and abroad. Representatives of the Ministry of Culture said this to journalists today.
    Director of the Department of Arts and Libraries František Zborník quoted from Kaplický's letter sent to the minister in July this year, in which the architect declines the award. In it, he refers to "the situation where your ministry and government are preventing my contribution to Czech culture and architecture..."
    The jury and representatives of the ministry deny that by awarding Kaplický they intended to express any stance in the politicized case of the new building, claiming they chose him because he deserves the award for his contribution to Czech culture. Anyone from the relevant artistic field can be nominated for the award by anyone. In the seven-member committee, six members voted for Kaplický in the first round, one abstained, in the second round there were only two names left, and in the third round only Kaplický remained.
    Last spring, Jan Kaplický won an international architectural competition for the construction of the new National Library building. However, it is still unclear whether construction will proceed in Prague's Letná according to his design. The problems have been attributed to land issues, lack of funds, and complications with the competition. In September, the Minister of Culture dismissed library director Vlastimil Ježek, citing problems with the competition.
    The award in the theater category will be given by the ministry to director Jan Born for his directorial contribution to contemporary theater in the Czech Republic, not only for adults but also for children. His work has been linked primarily with Prague's Theater in Dlouhá for over ten years. A significant part of Born's directorial work consists of original productions, often writing his own scripts or significantly adapting the original. According to the jury, he deserves admiration for his consistent actor stylization of characters and the sensitive balance of playful overview and thoughtful interpretation of the text.
    The laureate in the field of music is Zdeněk Šesták for his exceptional artistic and musicological activity in the area of Czech music, culture, and art. Composer and musicologist Šesták has been a significant figure in Czech musical life since the 1960s.
    The awards will be presented to the laureates by the Minister of Culture during a ceremonial evening on Tuesday at the Czech Museum of Music. This year, the ministry combined the awards with the presentation of the state prize for literature and translation. The laureate of the literary award for 2008 is Ludvík Vaculík for his literary and journalistic work, with consideration given to his summary prose "The Piano Hours." The state award for translation work for 2008 will be given to Jiří Stromšík for his activities in translating literary works.
    All awards are associated with a prize of 300,000 crowns.