The guests had the unique opportunity to take a guided tour and to discuss and learn more about the project directly from the young artists. A part of the event was also a small workshop on the processing of the cattail given by Adam Kvaček.

"Our project presents the results of the collaboration between the „Beautiful Work“ Project and the Product Design Studio / D3 at Prague's UMPRUM. The individual projects reflect the current attitudes of design students towards the craft tradition, as well as their approaches to the rehabilitation of the craft genre and its inclusion among competitive products on the current market, which is precisely what the Beautiful Work Project strives for.

This colaboration follows six-months of the work of students who documented their personal approach to using traditional craft motifs in their projects. The D3 Studio used the opportunity created by this cooperation not only to design new products into which traditional craft approaches could be applied but, above all, as a vehicle by which to think about the future of traditional crafts as such and overall. The students searched for possibilities by which to combine craft concepts with design as a comprehensive discipline that can offer varied solutions and raise stimulating questions. The fusion of academic endeavours thus provided a space in which to create works that have the potential to influence the future of the preservation of traditional crafts in the long term, and not just its use for decorative purposes, as crafts are often perceived today.
In considering the preservation of craft traditions, it is necessary to explore not only the technological limits of individual crafts, but to use them in the production of products with a contemporary face. In order for a craft to become timeless and its practices to be sustainable into the future, it is necessary to find its place in the present and to think critically about its strengths and weaknesses."

Exhibitors: Sofia Artemeva, Tereza Bláhová, Miloslav Chytil, Ivo Jedlička, Sára Kučerová, Adam Kvaček, Jan Lechner, Mikuláš Procházka, and Karolína Vintrová

Curator of the exhibition: Adam Kvaček

Pedagogical leadership: Michal Froněk and Jan Němeček (Heads of the studio), Michal Malášek (assistant professor)

Production, and installation design: Adam Kvaček, Ivo Jedlička, and Jan Lechner

Graphic design: Oskar Koutný

The exhibition was a part of the Brussels Design September Festival.

The event was accompanied by DJ Chris the Dancer.



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Closing event of of the exhibition BEAUTIFUL WORK

Beautiful work

Programme :
L. van Beethoven: Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, “Archduke Trio”
 1. Allegro moderato
 2. Scherzo (Allegro)
 3. Andante cantabile, ma però con moto
 4. Allegro moderato
 
A. Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, Op. 90, B. 166, “Dumky Trio”
 1. Lento maestoso — Allegro quasi doppio movimento
 2. Poco adagio — Vivace non troppo — Vivace
 3. Andante — Vivace non troppo — Allegretto
 4. Andante moderato — Allegretto scherzando
 5. Allegro — Meno Mosso
 6. Lento maestoso — Vivace

Trio Aries, founded in 2018, gathers three Belgian musicians, violinist Alice Van Leuven, cellist Paul Heyman and pianist Wouter Valvekens. The trio’s career took an uplifting turn when it won the 2020 edition of the prestigious Supernova Classics competition organized by the Belgian radio. Meanwhile, Trio Aries was invited to play recitals in high-profile concert halls and festivals among which Klarafestival in Bozar, the Springconcert in the Royal Palace of Belgium, Sound of Ghent in Miry, Festival van Vlaanderen, Festival en Poitou in France, 30CC in Leuven and Amuz in Antwerpen. Their debut in the Henry Leboeuf hall in Bozar was acclaimed by the Flemish newspaper deStandaard « A memorable rendition of Brahms’ first piano trio ».   

2021 marked the release of the trio’s debut album « Awakening » with label Etcetera. This disc, recorded in deSingel in Antwerp, was produced by Beeldenstorm vzw, an organisation that welcomes the trio as artist in residence. The program includes pieces from Scriabin, Suk, Schubert and Mendelssohn and was widely well received in the press, among others France Musique - « Nothing scares these young people! There’s a vision of modernity very present throughout their interpretations. » and deStandaard (attributes five stars) - “Impressive fingers, great ideas, excellent ­vibe: chamber music 3.0.”

The musicians of Trio Aries benefitted an excellent training at three eminent schools in Europe, respectively the Universität der Künste of Berlin, the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in Zürich and the Royal Academy of London. The members of the Trio reunite these different experiences in their search for the groove specific to each piece from their wide repertoire, a synthesis between color of sound and timing. With this in mind, they present not only masterpieces from the piano trio repertoire to the public but also less played pieces. The Trio Aries commits to a collaboration with artists from different branches to create multidisciplinary projects. 

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PH concert series: Piano Trio Aries

Piano Trio Aries

The table and chairs, decorated with Havel’s symbol – red hearts, were designed by architect and designer Bořek Šípek. Šípek came up with a design symbolising "Democratic Debate", comprising two metal garden chairs and a table placed around a linden tree, the national tree of the Czech Republic. His idea was to create a gathering place in a public space to promote dialogue, discussion and freedom of speech. Bořek Šípek named the installation "Democracy Talks" and described it as "a place where people can meet and exercise their freedom of speech in a democratic dialogue with others".

The Brussels bench to honour Václav Havel was unveiled on 12 October 2021 as the 41st memorial of its kind.



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The Václav Havel Bench has returned to the Leopold Park 

vh bench

The Beautiful Work project is dedicated to folk crafts, their revival, and their involvement in people's contemporary lives. It builds on the tradition of Družstevní Práce (Cooperative Work) and the Krásná Jizba (Beautiful Room) organisation. Among other things, it cooperates with art schools. One of its active members is the Studio of Product Design at UMPRUM, led by Michal Froněk and Jan Němeček. Under their guidance, students created their own collections of products in which they recall, revive, and push forward traditional craft techniques.

A selection of nine diverse realisations will be on display at the exhibition at the Prague House in Brussels. The works could be imaginatively divided into three categories - fashion, food, and structure. Here, young designers apply old, often forgotten crafts and revive them in new, contemporary forms.

"Working on the project was a great challenge for us. It wasn't just about learning the craft processes, preparing the necessary raw materials, and mastering the technology. We were looking for new ways to apply traditional craftsmanship in the present day. We asked ourselves questions about its place in today's society. In some cases, we found that the chosen type of craft is commonly used in a different form in modernised production or traditional practices can be enriched with new technologies so that they have a chance to compete in today's market. At other times, it was enough to give it a more comprehensible form for today's society and thus support the narrative of the craft's usefulness in our times", explains Adam Kvaček, one of the authors and curator of the exhibition, about the process of creating and applying original crafts to the present.

Adam Kvaček focused his work on the processing of the cattail. The result of the cattail propaganda project is a bag and a series of photographs highlighting the craft's present-day competitiveness.  Tereza Bláhová has taken a similar approach, modernising Horňák embroidery. She works not only with motifs and embroidery but also with costume patterns. Sofia Artemeva decorates clothes, and handbags with fish scales. She designed a collection of accessories, respecting the original purpose of the material, but at the same time, she experiments with its use at the level of jewellery. Ivo Jedlička responds to the growing popularity of baking homemade bread. He has therefore designed a collection of tools to facilitate its preparation. He combines here, for example, pottery or brushing. Karolína Vintrová, who focuses on food fermentation, works similarly. Other crafts include cutlery, shepherding, woodcarving, and leatherworking.

"In this project, it was essential for students to encounter the reality of disappearing crafts and search for their sustainability in the future. They succeeded in translating the techniques into the needs of the 21st century. This could never have been achieved without the opportunity to work with the masters of old technologies, learning about them and the craft. Thanks to this, they gained a new perspective and respect for the craft", says the head of the studio, designer Michal Froněk.

To highlight the very complex work and value of the crafts, a catalogue was published to accompany the exhibition. In addition to descriptions of individual works, it includes essays by young artists who share their experiences of working with masters in their field, their own creative journey, and plans for how to use traditional arts and practices in the future. The catalogue can also be seen as a guide to how traditional arts and practices can be preserved and developed in the future.

The exhibition Beautiful Work proves that even declining crafts can be modern and up-to-date, and will be on display at the Prague House in Brussels until the 30th of September.

Exhibitors: Sofia Artemeva, Tereza Bláhová, Miloslav Chytil, Ivo Jedlička, Sára Kučerová, Adam Kvaček, Jan Lechner, Mikuláš Procházka, and Karolína Vintrová

Curator of the exhibition: Adam Kvaček

Pedagogical leadership: Michal Froněk and Jan Němeček (Heads of the studio), Michal Malášek (assistant professor)

Production, and installation design: Adam Kvaček, Ivo Jedlička, and Jan Lechner

Graphic design: Oskar Koutný

Photography: Samuel Alexander Petráš, Adéla Zlámalová, Dominik Bek, Petr Jelen, Karolína Kadlčáková, Petr Žemla, Barbora Hostašová, Lenka Glisníková a Karolína Matušková, and Silvie Leitmenová.

The exhibited works were created in cooperation with the Cooperative Labour Foundation and its project Beautiful Work (www.krasnaprace.org, IG: krasnaprace)

The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Prague House in Brussels.
The UMPRUM Studio of Product Design regularly presents itself at the prestigious Brussels Design September show. The latest exhibition Beautiful Work, which was created in collaboration with the project of the same name, was the studio's tenth presentation at this event.

The exhibition was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.


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The festive opening of the exhibition BEAUTIFUL WORK

beautiful work

Among other things, the concept of the exhibition seeks to introduce a common view of art, which draws on natural inspiration and traditional patterns, seeking lost harmony in our hypervised world and is looking for a positive relationship with the viewer. The exhibition connects music and theater using the sea as the intermediate line. 

For years, David Radok collected driftwood healed and gritted by sand, waves and sea water, and then assembled it with other found objects into authentic art objects or sculptures. New objects do not deny romantic wanderings and unexpected discoveries, smell the sea, cooperate with the elements and nature and offer us a refreshing feeling of freedom. The drawings of Josef Kroutvor, which were created during his stays on the island of Belle-ile in Brittany, capture marine impressions, lighthouses, pumps and dangerous rocks. The sea is also a big inspiration for art of Ivan Theimer, who can watch the waves from the terace of his studio in Tuscany.

The exhibition can be seen until the end of August. You are kindly requested to book your visit at praguehouse@praha.eu.

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The festive opening of the exhibition PORT OF PRAGUE: Roads to the Sea and Also to the Theatre

port of prague

The Václav Havel's bench is being repaired, it will be back in its place in a few weeks. Thank you for your understanding, Prague House in Brussels

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The Václav Havel's bench is being repaired

The actor and singer Barbora Poláková is a holder of five “Anděl” Music Awards, which she received for her first two albums (Barbora Poláková, 2015 and Ze.Mě, 2018). She is the author or co-author of both lyrics and music and the author of most of her music video themes. 

In parallel with the recording of her third studio album, Barbora Poláková managed to prepare a unique live one shot video releases for song compilations called Něhy (Tenderness) and Dydjiny. 
“I wanted to make a few songs before the summer and just put it on YouTube to tease our fans for summer concerts. I thought that the Dydjiny would resonate more and I was surprised and touched at the same time by the responses to Něhy and numerous comments, letters and messages. That's why we decided to release the songs on vinyl and digitally and to go on a special tour and play them in various interesting places.”

This bonus record and bonus tour started in April 2023 in specific places in the Czech Republic, and was closed during the Prague House Garden Concert in Brussels in June 2023.

Brussels fans of Barbora couldn´t care less about the rainy weather and were delighted by the performance. During the evening, the crowd enjoyed songs like Ona, Kdyby, Voda (feat. Matěj Fendrich) and Polovina, as well as older hits Kráva, Nafrňená and a special version of the new song Sousedův trávník.

Barbora's new release is already out and is going on a tour of the same name to accompany the album called ON/OFF. ON/OFF comes five years after her last album Ze.Mě. It brings with it a strong combination of three producers. One of them is David Hlaváč, who has been a duo with Bára since her first album, another is Jan P. Muchow, who produced both previous albums, and for the first time Bára met producer Filip Jelinek. The album also features a number of interesting guests – Ben Cristovao, Marek Adamczyk or Jan Cina. Some of them will also be part of the live performances, so don’t miss it!

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PH Garden Concert: Barbora Poláková - Něhy

Poláková - Něhy

DUO EDEN has been created in 2001 by the cellist Olsi LEKA and the harpist Samia BOUSBAÏNE and since, the duo has been performing regularly both in Belgium and abroad. The exquisite mingling of the sounds of the cello and harp produces a sensation of rare delicacy. 

Programme :

J. S. Bach: Sonata in G major BWV 1039, original for flute and basso continuo
 1. Allegro
 2. Adagio
 3. Allegro
 
J. L. Duport & Ch. N. Bochsa: Nocturne - Theme and Variations

Max Bruch: Kol Nidrei, Op. 47, orIginal for cello and orchestra

Gabriel Fauré: Élégie, Op. 24, original for cello and piano

Walter Huber: Fantaisie, Op. 13 for cello and harpe

Camille Saint-Saëns: Allegro appassionato, Op. 43, original for cello and piano






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PH Concert Series - Voyage

voyage

During the opening speech the curator Lucie Vlčková presented the exhibition to the guests : 

„Art nouveau is represented in the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague by unique works of art and craftsmanship not only of Bohemian but also of European production, including important pieces that were presented at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, which greatly popularised and massively expanded the decorative style of Art Nouveau. 

( . . . ) Even though the most interesting works of our museum collection require large gallery spaces, the limiting spatial factors of the very charming and cosy Prague house became an advantage. When thinking about the concept of the exhibition, I had to base it on the conditions and therefore had to abandon the idea of exhibiting all the art nouveau treasures of our museum - after all, Brussels itself is full of art nouveau treasures. I therefore focused on one of the strong themes of the turn of the 19th and 20th century - the depiction of women.

Traditionally, woman and the female body has been a strong and appealing subject for art, through which she passes as a goddess, a muse, or acts as a personification of states, virtues and vices. Aspects of physicality and erotic references to the female body were celebrated in the Rococo period, but it was not until the art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that women in all their forms, social roles and mental and physical qualities were fully appreciated. The international decorative style of the Art Nouveau period, characterised by a turn to nature and its forms, made extensive use of the female figure in its ornamental and decorative repertoire and dramatically updated its traditional forms. Alongside attractive vegetal elements that dynamise surfaces and form the organic shapes of architecture, craft artefacts and everyday industrial products, a woman appears, her softly modelled body, or at least her face with stylised strands of hair.

The woman as an inspiration, an attractive and sensual object and also a key element of composition and a source of decorative function is shown in a series of photographs by Alfons Mucha, which provide information about his way of working with models in the studio and are themselves a work of art. Mucha then used the motifs of the female body in an album of decorative patterns - examples of which are also on display. These attractive motifs inspired many other designers, but Mucha was not the only model; Czech artists drew on many other sources to create their own forms of the Art Nouveau style. The frequent theme of women is related to the emancipation processes, social changes that meant the expansion of women's roles - these changes are illustrated by art posters, which are, among other things, a historical source of the lifestyle of the time - the women depicted in them are no longer just accessories, but those who enjoy all the conveniences of modern life. The massive boom in the depiction of women in advertising, which occurred during the Art Nouveau period, can be perceived as an abuse of women in the context of today's reflections on the issue of gender equality. It would be a shame if these contemporary discussions overshadowed the extraordinary aesthetic and artistic experience that works drawing on the natural beauty of the female body provide. I hope you enjoy the charms of the women the works on display show and that they delight your eyes.“

The event was accompanied by DJ Chris the Dancer.

Visits are possible by appointment:
25. 5. - 26. 6. 2023
MON-FRI (10:00 - 16:00) and during the weekend of 10. - 11. 6. (10:00 - 17:00).
The gallery will be closed on 13.6. and 20.6.
Please book your visit at: praguehouse@praha.eu. 


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The festive opening of the exhibition THE ART NOUVEAU WOMAN: FROM MUSE TO FEMME FATALE

As Ukraine, and Europe as a whole, face one of the biggest security threats of this century through the Russian invasion, long-discussed questions regarding Ukraine’s connection to Europe have returned to the forefront of debate. Namely, the questions of whether Ukraine should be admitted into NATO and the European Union have been circling across Europe and the globe.

The current Russian war against Ukraine is the latest example of Russian aggression that has united Europeans in support of Ukraine but divided many on what support to offer. The primary topic of dissension is a potential Ukrainian NATO membership. In conjunction with the question of Ukrainian NATO membership, discussions regarding Ukraine’s application for European Union membership are ongoing. Ukraine formally applied for EU membership on February 28, 2022, and asked for immediate acceptance, a normally years-long process. Though Ukraine has taken many legal and economic steps to prepare for EU membership, many in Europe argue the country has further to go before it meets the criteria for membership. 

Most European governments support eventual Ukrainian NATO membership, but should the process wait until after the war? Would beginning the application process provoke further Russian aggression? Is a fast-tracked NATO membership instead an opportunity for Europe to end the war faster, clarify its position regarding Ukraine, and access important Ukrainian resources in the future? We have already seen the long-term negotiations associated with Turkey’s accession into the EU. Will Ukraine face the same delays? There are many Balkan countries on the EU’s “waiting list”. Is it fair to combine them and their interest due to the current implications of the war? Accession into the EU consists of concession and compromise. With respect to Ukraine and the current situation of the war, can Ukraine be said to consist of the same principles that are required of the EU?

PROGRAM

19:00 – 19:15 WELCOME & KEYNOTE SPEECH

Věra Jourová, Vice-President, European Commission
Lucie Čadilová, Director, Delegation of Prague to the EU
19:15 – 20:00 Integration of Ukraine into the EU

Speakers:

Věra Jourová, Vice-President, European Commission
Jacques Rupnik, Political Scientist and Historian, Sciences Po
Corina Stratulat, Head of European Politics and Institutions Programme, European Policy Centre
Rebecca Christie, Non-resident Fellow, Bruegel
Moderator: Jan Macháček, Chairman of the Board, Institute for Politics and Society

20:00 – 20:45 Integration of Ukraine into NATO

Speakers:

Jakub Landovský, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO
Petr Luňák, Deputy Head, NATO Public Diplomacy Division
Moderator: Jan Macháček, Chairman of the Board, Institute for Politics and Society

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DEBATE: INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE INTO THE EU AND NATO

INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE 

Authentic Beethoven
Olsi Leka - Cello
Piet Kuijken - Pianoforte

Programme :

Ludwig van Beethoven: Cello Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 5/1
1. Adagio sostenuto – Allegro
2. Rondo. Allegro vivace

Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek: Variations for Cello and Piano, Op. 9

Ludwig van Beethoven: Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 5/2
1. Adagio sostenuto e espressivo – Allegro molto più tosto presto
2. Rondo. Allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven’s five Sonatas for Cello and Piano constitute the first
pieces in a teeming repertoire for a cello and piano. Composed between 1796
and 1815, the sonata cycle retraces composer's stylistic evolution from his early
gallant, virtuoso tendencies to the more expressive adventures of his later years
and thereby representing, in a single microcosm, the totality of his musical life.
In 1796 the young Beethoven presented his first two cello sonatas, Op. 5 at the
court of Frederick William II, an avid cellist and the reigning Prussian monarch.
Released in print the next year, these revolutionary sonatas forever altered the
cello repertoire by fundamentally redefining the relationship between the cello
and the piano and promoting their parity.

In the early 19th century, sonatas for piano and instrument were usually
advertised as piano sonatas with instrumental accompaniment. The cello sonata
was especially so plagued, as it grew out of sonatas for continuo; as late as the
beginning of the 19th century it was still common for the cello to double the left
hand of the piano part, with the piano right hand playing obbligato figurations
and melodies. Beethoven, indeed, is credited with composing one of the first
cello sonatas with a written-out piano part. The Op. 5 sonatas are the first two
examples of fully developed cello sonatas in the modern tradition.

Beethoven continued to develop the potential of the duo partnership in his
three other cello sonatas - the lyrical and heroic Op. 69 and the two experimental
sonatas Op. 102, No. 1 and No. 2, transcendent compositions conceived on the
threshold of the composer's late style.

A child prodigy of the keyboard, heir to Václav Jan Tomášek in composition and
Johann Nepomuk Hummel on the piano, Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek (1791 - 1825)
was one of the driving forces of Viennese musical life between 1815 and 1825.
His talent was duly recognized, as in 1822 he became organist to the imperial
court, a post which ranked him definitively alongside the foremost celebrities.
He was a friend of Schubert’s and admired by Beethoven, who requested the
honour of being one of his pallbearers. At the time of his death, the Czech
composer Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek was only 34 years old. The compositional
legacy he left behind is not particularly extensive but in terms of artistic value
confirms his status as a major composer. His style straddles the borderline
between the Classical and the Romantic.

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PH Concert Series - Authentic Beethoven

Authentic Beethoven

On Wednesday April 26, the Prague House Brussels hosted the screening of the movie The Killing of a Journalist, a chilling inquiry into the brutal murders of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová. With investigative rigour, Matt Sarnecki makes his feature directorial debut by drawing upon his background reporting in corruption and organized crime.
 
The screening was followed by a discussion with Julie Majerczak, Head of the Reporters Without Borders office in Brussels and Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, a Slovak MEP and former journalist. The event was moderated by Oliver Money-Kyrle, International Press Institute Director.

On Thursday 27th April, the Prague House Brussels hosted the closing ceremony of the Festival. The winning film of the 16th edition, Illusion of Abundance by Matthieu Lietaert a Erika González Ramírez, was announced by the esteemed jury of representatives of NGOs based in Brussels. It follows the stories of three female activists: Bertha Zúñiga Cáceres from Honduras, Carolina de Moura from Brazil, and Maxima Acuña from Peru, as they defend their communities, their land, and the environment from the abuse brought about by transnational corporations and governments.

The expert jury chose from 12 documentaries and decided to award one special mention to the documentary Blix not Bombs, a film by director Greta Stocklassa, in addition to the winning film. 

One World in Brussels is organized by People in Need in cooperation with the Czech Centre Brussels, the European Parliament and the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU.

Screenings of all the films were accessible to the public for free in venues across Brussels. The next edition will take place again in the spring of 2024.



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