Gallery organizes an exhibition without the consent of heritage protectors, a fine may be threatened

Prague - The Gallery of the Capital City of Prague (GHMP) organized an exhibition in the baroque Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace without the consent of heritage protectors, which could lead to a fine. The Department of Heritage Care of the Prague City Hall is now gathering the necessary documentation, and according to its director Jan Kněžínek, it has not yet been decided whether heritage protectors will initiate administrative proceedings with the gallery. According to Czech Radio, the issue also lies in the fact that the gallery staff hammered nails into the baroque plaster of the heritage-protected palace while installing the exhibition.
The gallery decided to temporarily open the abandoned palace with an exhibition of works by young artists and students of art schools. "The exhibition was prepared without the opinion of heritage protectors," Kněžínek told ČTK. According to him, the palace was subsequently inspected by heritage protectors from the city hall as well as from the National Heritage Institute, and it is now being considered whether administrative proceedings will be initiated with the gallery. "They can also request the opinion of heritage protectors subsequently, which would resolve the issue," noted Kněžínek.
According to Czech Radio, heritage protectors are also bothered by the interventions to the palace itself. GHMP director Milan Bufka is reportedly aware of the deficiencies. According to him, a problem arose during the installation of an object titled Four Revolvers by David Černý. The visitor traffic was reportedly detrimental to the exhibit placed on the ground, thus it was necessary to suspend it using steel cables fixed to the façade of the baroque palace courtyard. According to Czech Radio, heritage protectors were also bothered by the fact that GHMP painted the exhibition spaces white.
Prague transferred the Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace to the management of GHMP last summer. The metropolis unsuccessfully tried for several years to utilize this monument beforehand. So far, efforts to repair the dilapidated palace have been unsuccessful, with Prague previously estimating the costs at over 250 million crowns. In June, a space for young artists - Artbanka Museum of Young Art - was opened in the palace. It is expected to remain open until the first frosts, as the building is not heated.