The selection process for the director of the National Gallery Prague has been canceled by Klempíř; he wants a new one

Prague – The Ministry of Culture has canceled the selection process for the General Director of the National Gallery in Prague. Minister Oto Klempíř (for Motorists) told journalists today. According to him, the selection process will be repeated. He wants to find a person with a strong international vision, he stated.

Klempíř wants to reach out to a wider pool of candidates, including personalities from abroad. He would also welcome the participation of the current candidates. The National Gallery in Prague will continue to be led by the acting director Olga Kotková.

Kotková, who has been at the helm of the gallery's collection of old art since 2021, was appointed by Klempíř to manage the gallery after he dismissed director Alicja Knastová in March this year.

This was followed by a selection process, in which, according to the minister, five candidates applied. Three candidates advanced to the second round – Marcel Fišer, director of the Gallery of Fine Arts in Cheb (Gavu), Kotková, and Aleš Seifert, director of the Alšova South Bohemian Gallery. The selection committee recommended two candidates to the minister for final assessment. However, it turned out that the emphasis on the international dimension, the ability to promote the National Gallery in Prague in the European and global context, and to bring a truly ambitious foreign vision was not stressed to the degree that the ministry considers essential, Klempíř added.

Seifert and Fišer both published their concepts on social media today and encouraged other candidates to do the same. Kotková described the cancellation of the current selection process as completely new information. "It is the minister's decision; he has the right to it. For now, we will not comment further," she stated.

"We believe that the new selection process will attract a wider range of candidates and that even more top candidates, possibly also prominent personalities from abroad, will apply. At the same time, we would be very glad if the candidates who participated in this selection process would apply again," stated Klempíř.

"Again, an absurd step by Minister Klempíř," commented the situation on network X former Minister of Culture Martin Baxa (ODS). According to him, relevant candidates applied for the selection, but there has been strange foot-dragging from the current minister. Baxa believes an explanation of what is happening is in order.

The rector of the Prague Academy of Fine Arts, Tomáš Pospiszyl, thinks that repeating the selection process will not solve the gallery's problems. According to him, the founder, that is the ministry, should also have a vision. "The National Gallery in Prague is not poor in terms of its collections or experts in the context of Europe and the world, but primarily in terms of its budget. It is sufficient only for basic operations, and with a similar limit, you cannot make a significant impact," Pospiszyl stated in response to ČTK.

Before the new selection, the ministry wants to conduct a larger campaign and reach out to more candidates. "It may take until the end of the year," said Klempíř. He also believes that the selection committee should change, which currently consists mainly of representatives of the largest professional organizations in culture.

"The new head will not just be someone who is content to be an art historian or an excellent curator. They will be a builder and will have a very difficult task of starting the construction of the depository," Klempíř mentioned the project he inherited from his predecessor Baxa. The new director of the National Gallery is expected to be a manager as well.

The depository of the National Gallery in Prague is set to be built in Prague's Jinonice. The costs for the first phase of construction were estimated at 2.2 billion crowns last year. Without a new depository, it is impossible to commence the reconstruction of the Veletržní Palace.

Today, Klempíř mentioned a new construction project that he believes should fall under the gallery. "I would really like a new, modern, smaller, multifunctional house for the National Gallery in Prague," said the minister. He mentioned the Prague development area of Bubny – Zátory, where he would like to see a new multifunctional exhibition space for the gallery. According to his vision, the open selection for the director should bring a personality "who can simply get it done".

The NGP is celebrating 230 years since its founding this year, which is linked to the establishment of the Society of Patriotic Friends of Art on February 5, 1796. In the capital, it has six buildings with permanent exhibitions or displays, and it also organizes exhibitions in the Waldstein Riding School, which belongs to the Senate. The gallery manages the largest collection of artworks in the Czech Republic, from antiquity to the present day.