NGP is looking for the possibility of participating in the Venice Biennale even during the pavilion renovation

Prague – The National Gallery Prague is organizing a public discussion on March 17 regarding the presentation of the Czech Republic at the Architecture Biennale in Venice. CTK was informed by gallery spokesperson Eva Sochorová. The Architecture Biennale is set to take place in the Italian city next year, alternating with the Fine Arts Biennale. The Venice Biennale was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, having been canceled two years ago, which delayed the exhibitions. The Czechoslovak Pavilion, where the Czech and Slovak sides alternate in presentation, is also undergoing reconstruction. The discussion will also seek ways to prepare for the Czech participation when the pavilion is unavailable.

Experts Imro Vaško, Karolína Vránková, Petra Hlaváčková, and Helena Huber Doudová will discuss Czech participation in the Architecture Biennale, which will take place from May 20 to November 20, 2023, this Thursday at the Trade Fair Palace starting at 18:00. The discussion is public and will be streamed through NGP’s social media networks. It will be moderated by architect Yvette Vašourková, and the outputs from the discussion are intended to serve for the preparation of the competition that will produce the project through which the Czech Republic will be represented next year.

The Czechoslovak Pavilion is one of the oldest in the Venice Gardens, built in 1925 by Otakar Novotný. Since the division of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic has alternated with Slovakia in preparing the exhibition in the pavilion. Both countries jointly manage it. The investment costs are shared by NGP and the Slovak National Gallery in a ratio of two to one, while the operational costs are divided equally. The Venice Biennale of Fine Arts always attracts over half a million international visitors. It first took place in 1885.

The Fine Arts Biennale has always been held in odd years, while the Architecture Biennale takes place in even years. The last Fine Arts Biennale was held in 2019, with the Czech side organizing the exhibition in the Czechoslovak Pavilion, which featured works by Stanislav Kolíbal. However, the pavilion was significantly damaged by a storm in the summer, and the already dilapidated building required reconstruction, which is still ongoing.

In 2020, the biennale was canceled due to the pandemic, while last year, the Architecture Biennale was held under adjusted conditions. This April, the Fine Arts Biennale will begin; the previous and current year’s Czechoslovak presentation is under the auspices of the Slovak side. Since next year, when the Architecture Biennale is to take place, the Czechoslovak Pavilion will not yet be ready after reconstruction, the National Gallery Prague is seeking alternative presentation options.