Václav Jirásek: Industria – A Photographic Exhibition Documenting Decaying Industrial Heritage and Social Transformation

This exhibition showcases Václav Jirásek's extensive photographic project documenting "dying" factories. Through approximately seventy to eighty large-format color photographs, Jirásek captures the monumental interiors of predominantly metallurgical plants, focusing on their decay, desolation, and abandonment.

Václav Jirásek (born 1965) presents "Industria," a special project for Galerie Rudolfinum that focuses exclusively on the interiors of disappearing factories. The exhibition features a significant collection of around seventy to eighty large-format color photographs, meticulously documenting spaces from metallurgical operations such as ČKD Blansko, Třinecké železárny, and Poldi Kladno. Jirásek's work delves into the profound theme of the decline of "cathedrals of labor," which symbolized industrial progress from the mid-19th century and held a significant, albeit complex, role in the ideology of the previous regime. The photographs capture the monumental scale, the pervasive decay, and the current state of abandonment within these spaces, reflecting the deep societal transformations that have occurred since 1989. Within these deserted factory halls, the images reveal traces of devastating production activities alongside elements that attempted to humanize an environment that was almost life-threatening. Jirásek emphasizes the grandeur of industrial architecture while not shying away from the negative aspects of this industrial legacy.

The page mentions that admission is voluntary, and visitors can return on another day if they do not have enough time to see the exhibition. The last entry is permitted 30 minutes before closing time. Specific ticketing prices or booking requirements are not detailed, suggesting it may be part of general museum admission or a donation basis.