48th Venice Biennial

The winning proposal for the Czech part of the Czecho-Slovak pavilion: ZEMZOO by Veronika Bromová, curated by Olga Malá and Karel Srp.
Veronika Bromová presented her project proposed for the Czecho-Slovak pavilion in Venice a few months ago at a solo exhibition in Prague’s Nová Síň Gallery. The installation comprises a series of photographs, video projection and a kinetic object. The projected film was recorded in a Zoo in Central Park, New York. Taken from behind visitors, it shows their silhouettes as they are waiting in front of an aquarium for a polar bear. The feeling of blurred boundaries is emphasized by the fact that the film is projected on a wall over motioning “levitating“ kinetic object made of white feathers, associating the image of the same animal the visitors are waiting to observe securely block by the aquarium. Relating to unclear identity and challenging usual definition of freedom and confinement, the exhibition’s concept deals with the hot issues of our times. Feelings of uncertainty - today we are safe behind the glass but what is it going to be like tomorrow. Or isn’t it vice versa in fact - aren’t we in the position of the captive and the jailer who live on an island together without really knowing which one of them is free and which one is the prisoner?
Other proposals included:
Metamorphosis by Michael Rittstein, curated by Josef Hlaváček
The Art Theft (1999) by David Černý, curated by Tomáš Pospiszyl
The Unfinished Carpet by Petr Kvíčala, curated by Tereza Petišková
Romulus’ Boats by Antonín Kašpar, curated by Ivan Neumann
Shifted Spaces by Marian Karel, curated by Jan Sekera
A Project for the Biennial (1999) by Jiří Surůvka, curated by Magdalena Juříková
Open Rotundas by Václav Fiala, curated by Ivo Janoušek
Great Dialogue (1966) by Karel Nepraš, curated by Olaf Hanel
Music for Prague (1998) by Jiří Příhoda (with Brian Eno), curated by Martina Pachmanová
The committee selecting the artist that will represent the Czech Republic at this year’s Venice Biennial included: Václav Erben (Prague Municipal Gallery - GHMP), Vít Havránek (curator, GHMP), Jiří T. Kotalík (head of the Fine Arts Faculty), Pavel Liška (director, House of Arts Brno - DUMB), Roman Musil, Petr Nedoma (director, Rudolfinum Gallery), Naďa Řeháková, Marta Smolíková (Open Society Fund), Jiří Ševčík (curator, Academy of Fine Arts)

01.03.1999