Looking back at the lecture Memorial and Commemorative

Thu 06.03. 2008 19h Memorial and Commemorative Monument

Memorial to the Victims of Communism in Liberec, Memorial to Czechoslovak Foreign Soldiers Fallen on the Battlefields of World War II, Prague, Commemorative Plaque Display, Competition for the Monument to Jan Bouchal, New Audiovisual Exhibition in the Lidice Memorial and more

The lecture evening organized by the civic association Kruh on the topic of Memorial and Commemorative Monument opened the spring series of lectures dedicated to the mutual influence of architecture and fine arts in shaping public space. The event, held in the spaces of the Tranzitdisplay gallery - a hub for contemporary art - was met with great interest. The evening was opened by sculptor David Černý, who briefly presented his own works on the theme of monuments or memorials. A video clip (albeit ultimately without the desired musical accompaniment) composed of older and contemporary works concluded with the latest design of the monument to Jan Bouchal, to which several other artists expressed their opinions throughout the evening.
The second presentation by architects Petr Janda and Aleš Kubalík (studio Sporadical) introduced us to the details of the creation of the Memorial to the Victims of Communism in Liberec. The authors discussed the development of the design, including the complications with the placement of the work. They characterized the chosen concept using a simple motif - a reflective semi-permeable surface - as an intention to confront the viewer with their own image complemented by an inscription readable in the reflection: "look in yourself, whether you honor, defend, or restrict freedom."
The question of monuments addressing historical events was also opened by the trio Plieštik, Novotný, and Opočenský - the authors of the Memorial to Czechoslovak Foreign Soldiers Fallen on the Battlefields of World War II. Sculptor Jiří Plieštik revealed his effort to embody a distinctly feminine principle in the monument and pointed out some technical details of the bronze statue. Architects Tomáš Novotný and Jiří Opočenský addressed the circumstances of the competition and the variants of urban solutions.
The interior modifications of the Lidice Memorial Museum, along with multimedia creation and new approaches to exhibition concepts, were presented by photographer Bohumír Prokůpek and architect Jan Žalský. The authors described the new exhibition in their presentation as a labyrinth of projection walls made of exposed concrete. In an intentionally cramped and raw conception of the dimly lit space, they worked only with projected images (photography and video), sounds, and with the remnants of preserved objects.
The first block of the evening was concluded by a presentation from the Ládví group, which briefly showcased the rich range of its activities at the intersection of artistic creation and public benefit work. In addition to more or less successful attempts to enhance urban sculptures and public spaces in the surroundings of Ládví and the Ďáblice housing estate, the authors paid attention to the installation of the commemorative plaque for Gallery Display in Holešovice.
After the break, a representative of the Auto*Mat initiative spoke to present the competition for the monument to Jan Bouchal, a promoter of cycling transportation in Prague, who tragically died in 2006 when he was hit by a car while cycling. This atypical competition, based on the work of friends and like-minded individuals from among artists and architects, was won by David Černý, who presented his design at the beginning of the evening. One of the organizers introduced the design for the monument to Jan Bouchal by Krištof Kintera in place of the absent author. Kurt Gebauer also returned to the competition, having addressed the topic with his students from the Sculpture Studio at VŠUP in Prague. Kurt Gebauer ultimately spoke about a series of his proposals related to the theme of monuments. Among the most current examples are his designs for a monument to Sigmund Freud in Prague and a monument to W. A. Mozart in Brno, which will be unveiled this spring. In addition to his own works, he also presented his students' designs for the monument to T.G. Masaryk in Benešov.

Throughout the evening, critical remarks about the organization and process of competitions related to the installation of artistic and architectural works in public spaces were repeatedly heard. The most frequent critical voices were directed towards the competition committees, in which experts (artists, art critics, theorists, etc.) rarely sit. However, even if this happens, it cannot guarantee the successful realization of the submitted proposal, which often encounters political decisions after winning the competition. It is just a pity that no invited representatives of self-governments attended the evening to respond to the ensuing discussion.