The Art of Asia Across Space and Time: An Exhibition of Cultural Connections in Prague

This exhibition at the Salm Palace showcases 520 artworks from Asia and the Islamic world spanning 5,000 years, exploring cultural relations with Central Europe. It delves into themes of Asian and Islamic visual cultures, collection provenance, and interweaving contemporary approaches with historical context.

Presented at the Salm Palace by the National Gallery Prague's Collection of Asian Art, 'The Art of Asia Across Space and Time' features a significant selection of 520 artworks from Asia and the Islamic world. The exhibition is broadly divided into two parts, focusing on themes related to the cultural history of the Czech lands and the intrinsic qualities of works from Asian and Islamic visual cultures within their original contexts. It also sheds light on the provenance of these pieces and how they entered the National Gallery Prague's collections. The initial section provides historical context, recalling European orientalism, colonial politics that influenced the spread of knowledge about Asian and Islamic artistic traditions, and art collecting practices in the Czech lands from the 16th to the 20th centuries. This includes historicizing presentations of Asian and Middle Eastern countries at world exhibitions, shop window displays, and private interiors featuring "oriental" decor. It also highlights prominent Czech scholars, collectors, and artists from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries who engaged with Asian and Islamic art through scholarly or creative means. The second, more extensive part of the exhibition showcases the Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Tibetan, and Islamic cultural areas from the 3rd millennium BCE to the present day. Utilizing contemporary interdisciplinary approaches in art history, Asian and Islamic studies, and museology, it explores spiritual traditions, writing and calligraphy, decoration and ornamentation, and the world of nature and people within various visual cultures. Recognizing the uneven representation of cultural areas and historical periods in the collection due to historical collecting practices in the Czech lands, the exhibition fosters an exploration of intercultural connections. One of the exhibition's core goals is to critically revisit historical approaches and decolonize museum practice. It seeks to bridge stereotypical Eurocentric views by considering the perspectives of Asian experts in the interpretation and presentation of artworks, aiming for a more comprehensive understanding. The exhibition enhances the visitor experience with audiovisual and interactive elements, dedicated spaces for rest and meditation, and a teaching studio.

Further details regarding ticketing or admission are not explicitly provided on this page, but it indicates that the exhibition is open from October 17, 2025.