Sculptures in the Streets. Brno Art Open
Sculptures in the Streets / Brno Art Open is an art show in the urban public space in Brno, Czech republic. It is an exhibition which through sculptures and contemporary visual art instalations in the city opens the discussion between art (or artists) and the general public. This art show is organised by The House of Art in Brno and The Statutary city of Brno. It has been founded in 2008 and from the year 2009 Sculptures in the Streets / Brno Art Open is a biennale (There was an exhibition in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013).
The theme of the exhibition is every year slightly different (it changes with different curators) although the problem of public space and a site specific character of exhibited pieces haven’t changed. The importance of project like this can be seen in its educational, cultural and international role. Contemporary art is often hard to understand for a common member of the public, so the number of visitors of museums and galleries is decreasing. These potential visitors often need education in art history and some kind of capability to perceive contemporary (and media) art, but this capability can be developed only by visiting the cultural institutions. To confront people with this „uncomprehensible“ art in the space where the dialogue is expected – in the public sphere – is one of the ways how it is possible to increase the social demand in culture and how to promote the art and cultural institutions which are exhibiting it. Art as one of the products of culture is also a powerfull tool in identity-building process of the city not just in minds of its dwellers but also internationally.
The meaning of this project can be seen, firstly, in its power to inspire people to use public space more actively, secondly, it shows contemporary art to the public and, thirdly, it increases the ability of perceiving this art.
- 2008 edition
Curators: Rostislav Koryčánek, Milan Houser, Jana Vránová, František Kowolowski.
Art Commission: Michal Gabriel, Milan Houser, Ivo Kabeláč, Marek Pokorný, Eduard Schmidt.
Artists: Jiří David (CZ), Peter Demek (SK), Eva Eisler (CZ), Pavel Hošek (CZ), Jozef Jankovič (SK), Ladislav Jezbera (CZ), Pavel Korbička (CZ), Márius Kotrba (CZ), Hans Kupelwieser (AUT), Vojtěch Míča & Jiří Petrbok (CZ), Michal Moravčík (SK), Lukáš Rittstein (CZ), Jaroslav Róna (CZ), Čestmír Suška (CZ), Vladimír Škoda (FR), Pavel Tasovský (CZ), Benedikt Tolar (CZ), Lubomír Typlt (CZ), Simon Wachsmuth (DE), Petr Zubek (DE) and as a special guest of the mayor of Brno Jaromír Gargulák (CZ).
- 2009 edition
Curators: Rostislav Koryčánek, František Kowolowski, Jana Vránová.
Art Commission: Ludvík Hlaváček, Pavel Liška, Josef Pleskot, Marek Pokorný and Eduard Schmidt.
Artists: Krystian Czaplicki (POL), Tomáš Džadoň (SK/CZ), Michal Gabriel (CZ), Otto Herbert Hajek (CZ/DE), Milan Houser (CZ), Dalibor Chatrný (CZ), Magdaléna Jetelová (CZ/DE), Pavla Kačírková (CZ), Václav Kyselka (CZ), Dominik Lang (CZ), Tomáš Medek (CZ), Tomáš Moravec (CZ), Vratislav Karel Novák (CZ), André Tempel (DE), Tomáš Vaněk (CZ).
- 2011 edition
Curator: Karel Císař
Artists: Filip Cenek (CZ), Barbora Klímová (CZ), Eva Koťátková (CZ), Dominik Lang (CZ), Christoph Meier (AT), Markéta Orthová (CZ), Jiří Příhoda (CZ), Jiří Skála (CZ), Matěj Smetana (CZ), Adéla Svobodová (CZ), Jan Šerých (CZ), Michal Škoda (CZ), Jiří Thýn (CZ), Rafani (CZ)
This article was contributed by Barbara Herucová.