Step into a partial reconstruction of Jiří Kolář's acclaimed presentation at the 10th São Paulo Biennial from 1969. This unique display brings together significant artworks from Czech museum collections with extensive archival materials. Visitors can delve into Kolář's artistic journey and the intricate political backdrop surrounding his participation in this pivotal international event.
Read curatorial context and practical visitor information for Jiří Kolář — X Bienal de São Paulo at Powder Tower in Prague
This exhibition partially reconstructs Jiří Kolář's award-winning presentation at the 10th São Paulo Biennial in 1969. It brings together artworks from Czech museum collections and archival materials to explore the artist's participation in the event and its complex political context.
In September 1969, Czech artist Jiří Kolář was honored with a biennale prize at the 10th São Paulo Biennial. This exhibition offers a partial reconstruction of his award-winning presentation, utilizing photographs from the biennale archive and artworks traced from Czech museum collections, including the National Gallery in Prague. Complementing the visual art is archival material that delves into various facets of Kolář's involvement with this significant, yet controversial, biennale. The São Paulo Biennale, established in 1951, has long served as a crucial nexus for art from the Americas, Western Europe, and increasingly, the Eastern Bloc and Global South. Czechoslovakia's engagement with the biennale, curated by Jiří Kotalík, began in 1957. For the 10th edition, alongside Kolář's extensive contributions, works by František Ronovský and Jiří Novák, as well as Slovak artists like Miloš Urbásek, Milan Dobeš, and Michal Jakabčic, were showcased. These artists represented diverse artistic currents in Czechoslovakia prior to the Prague Spring of 1968, though their works were exhibited in São Paulo over a year after the Warsaw Pact invasion. The 10th edition is particularly noted for a significant boycott by numerous Brazilian and international artists protesting the censorship and human rights abuses under the Brazilian military dictatorship. The exhibition also prompts reflection on the challenges artists faced navigating complex political landscapes, both domestically and internationally, exemplified by Kolář's notable silence regarding an interview and his subsequent persecution in Czechoslovakia.
The exhibition is located at the Trade Fair Palace, 2nd floor, within the exhibition '1939–2021: The End of the Black-and-White Era'. General opening hours are Tuesday—Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Further ticketing details would likely be available through the National Gallery Prague.
Review exhibition status, schedule, venue context, and attribution details for Jiří Kolář — X Bienal de São Paulo at Powder Tower in Prague
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