Design pro Václava Havla - výstava v Jízdárně Pražského hradu

What role can design play in the life of a president, or even in the life of an entire country? The exhibition Design for Václav Havel, created to mark what would have been President Václav Havel’s 90th birthday, presents the first head of state after the Velvet Revolution through the objects he surrounded himself with and those created for Prague Castle during his presidency. Furniture by Bořek Šípek, uniforms by Theodor Pištěk, architecture by Eva Jiřičná, and works by other outstanding designers reveal the transformation of the Castle after 1989, as well as Havel’s remarkable interest in the environment in which he lived and worked. For him, Prague Castle was not merely the president’s official residence, but above all a cultural symbol of the country, whose new appearance was intended to express the values of a democratic state.
One of the central exhibits is Václav Havel’s study, designed by Bořek Šípek and familiar, among other things, from televised presidential addresses. After more than twenty years in the care of a private owner, it is making a ceremonial return to Prague Castle for this occasion. Alongside it, the exhibition will present both familiar and lesser-known objects associated with Havel’s time at the Castle, revealing another side of his personality.
The exhibition is curated by Andrea Běhounková and Jana Zielinski.
The exhibition was organised by Prague Castle in collaboration with DesignBlok.