The magistrate will negotiate with Prague 1 about Wichterlová's studio

Prague - The City Hall will ask Prague 1 to approve the division of the land on Újezd, where the studio of sculptor Hana Wichterlová is located. After that, Prague wants to obtain the land with the studio from the city district for its management, so that the interwar sculptor's studio can be made accessible to the public. However, the division and transfer of the land must first be approved by the city district. This follows from a document that was approved by Prague councillors today.

"The City Hall did not familiarize us in advance with the materials that the council approved today. Nevertheless, Prague 1 is ready to negotiate specific steps regarding Hana Wichterlová's studio," stated Veronika Blažková, spokesperson for Prague 1, to ČTK.

In the event that Prague 1 approves the division of the land, it will also be necessary to resolve access to the studio. There are two options: access from Petřínské sadů through the playground, or entry through the building from Újezd, which is managed by Prague 1. The building located at Újezd 23 is currently unused, and until recently, Prague 1 considered selling it. The City Hall would be dependent on the owner's consent in the case of entry through the building, which is why it prefers access through the playground. However, its operation must be coordinated with the opening hours of the studio.

The capital city wants to open the studio to the public, which is also the wish of the sculptor's family. In the garden house, which is currently dilapidated, they want to establish a café and an informal gallery featuring Wichterlová's works. The studio is to be managed by the Gallery of the Capital City. It requires reconstruction, which is estimated to cost 6.3 million crowns. Annual operating costs are around 400,000 crowns.

If the land with the studio is managed by the capital city and the surrounding lands remain with Prague 1, it will depend on the approach of the city district's municipal office whether to preserve the surrounding garden, which complements the genius loci. The sculptor's family, who is prepared to donate artistic items and studio equipment to the Gallery of the Capital City, wishes for a sensitive and dignified restoration of both the studio and the adjoining garden.

Hana Wichterlová was one of the most significant interwar sculptors. The currently dilapidated Malostranský studio and the adjacent garden were among the favorite meeting places for Czech artists and intellectuals. The sculptor passed away in the studio in 1990. Her brother was chemist Otto Wichterle, who invented contact lenses.