The Czech Republic and China strengthen their relationship through culture and art — a gateway to mutual understanding
13.04.2015 / 09:37 | Aktualizováno: 19.02.2021 / 12:02
Czech–Chinese cultural relations have a rich tradition. The Chinese listen to Czech classical music, especially compositions by Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana. They read Czech writers such as Kundera, Hašek and Hrabal in translation. They also watch Czech animated cartoons, with the little mole Krteček bing a particular favorite. And Czechs are proud of the fact that in Prague they can see a large collection of works by the ink-and-brush master Qi Baishi and visit the Lu Xun Library at the Oriental Institute. Czech sinologists translate with great erudition modern Chinese writers as well as classical novels. People in both countries are interested in contemporary culture in each other’s country. Every year there are concerts, exhibitions and cultural exchanges whose aim is not only to increase mutual cultural awareness but especially to promote a greater understanding of various forms of artistic creation and contemporary society.
Art from the Heart in Shanghai
The opening of the exhibition Art From the Heart at the Shanghai Art Power Station of Art municipal gallery takes place on at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2015, and the exhibition will run for two months. Preceding the opening of the exhibition itself, beginning at 10 a.m., Czech and Chinese artists will have an opportunity to discuss current issues relating to their work at the Art Forum, which is open to the public. The format of the seminar will be presentations by three speakers from each country followed by a discussion, which will be moderated by the Czech Ambassador to China, Mr. Libor Sečka. The installation of the exhibition begins on April 20. The curator of the exhibition is Dr. Miroslav Ambroz. The exhibition is held under the patronage of the Czech Minister for Regional Development, Mrs. Karla Šlechtová, and will be opened by the chairman of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Mr. Jan Hamáček. According to data from the Power Station of Art, average daily attendance of exhibitions at the gallery is around 3,000 people. The exhibition presents 17 Czech artists, eight of whom are personally attending the opening.
On Sunday, April 26, 2015, a group of artists will travel by train to Beijing, and from Monday, April 27, to Friday, May 1, there will be a series of informal meetings with Chinese artists, including studio visits, an improvised exhibition at the Czech embassy, dinners, and other opportunities for discussion. Such a large group of Czech artists has not been in China since the mid-1950s. This represents something we can call, with some slight exaggeration, a Czech-Chinese art connection. The coordinator of all the practical issues related to the stay of the artists and to the exhibition is Mr. Martin Hošek, the Czech Embassy’s cultural attaché.
The exhibition presents an extraordinary selection of Czech contemporary art, including works by acknowledged masters as well as outstanding works by established artists from the middle and younger generations. The variety of art forms and subject matter gives the entire project a great vibrancy and energy. The central idea and unifying thread connecting all elements of this exhibition is their genuineness and sincerity. The works exhibited here originated from a deep inner feeling, an inner conviction. And that is precisely their power. The list of authors can be found in the addendum.
Czech Culture and Tourism Festival
Part of the Czech Days festival will be music performances – traditional Moravian cimbalom music and a concert by Čechomor. The the legendary folk-rock group last played in China during EXPO 2010 and then at the Great Wall of China. This time, Čechomor will perform at the Mao Livehouse club in Shanghai at 8 p.m. on April 23, 2015, and in Changzhou on the shores of West Lake at 8 p.m. on April 24.
Exhibiting artists:
约瑟夫·博尔夫
Josef Bolf
帕维尔·布拉兹达
Pavel Brázda
托马什·凯撒罗夫斯基
Tomáš Císařovský
杨·西谢克
Jan Hísek
维罗妮卡·侯措娃
Veronika Holcová
杨·科纳普
Jan Knap
弗拉基米尔·可可利亚
Vladimír Kokolia
米哈尔·马哈特
Michal Machat
阿洛易斯·米库卡
Alois Mikulka
雅各布·奈布拉什
Jakub Nepraš
皮特·尼克尔
Petr Nikl
维也拉·诺娃科娃
Věra Nováková
丹尼尔·彼金
Daniel Pitín
弗朗齐谢克·斯卡拉
František Skála
雅各布·史班聂尔
Jakub Špaňhel
杨·史云梅耶
Jan Švankmajer
约瑟夫·兹拉马尔
Josef Zlamal
