The preparation of the exhibition building for the Slav Epic is delayed

PRAGUE - The preparations for the construction of a new building for Alfons Mucha's Slav Epic are delayed. The Prague City Hall intends to display the famous cycle of paintings at the Holešovice exhibition grounds. Last year, Prague allocated 46 million crowns in the budget for the new building, but construction has not started. According to councilor Bohumil Černý (ODS), there is still one opinion pending for the approval process.
"There is still no statement from the Ministry of the Environment. It is a particularly sensitive area, and the ministry must weigh in on it," Černý told ČTK. The opinion in the form of a government regulation is expected in March, he added.
In this year's budget, the city has allocated 43 million crowns for construction, and Černý hopes that the work will begin. The modern building with a steel structure will look like a box set on its edge. The canvases will be suspended in a uniquely designed space. The total costs for the building are estimated at 150 million crowns. If no difficulties arise, it could be completed next year.
However, according to previous information, the idea is not favored by Mucha's descendants. They consider the exhibition grounds unsuitable for displaying the epic because it is associated with carousels and fairs.
Mucha (1860 - 1939) donated the paintings to Prague with the condition that they be exhibited in a hall built for this purpose. That is why the city wants to construct the building, Černý emphasized. Representatives of the city hall have already spoken with Mucha's descendants, and further negotiations are needed.
Currently, the epic is at the castle in Moravský Krumlov in the Znojmo region. The discussion about relocating it back to the metropolis has been ongoing for many years. There have been numerous proposals regarding where the work should be displayed. Some time ago, there was a discussion about the intention to place the canvases in the Art Nouveau Industrial Palace, which was rejected by heritage conservationists.
Recently, there have been proposals that Klementinum, managed and utilized by the National Library, would be the best location for the Slav Epic. The library wants to build a new headquarters in Letná, and Klementinum is on the main tourist routes. "It would be logical, but (Mucha's) condition is different, hence the construction of a new building," Černý noted.