Začátek století / The Beginnings of the Century

The Beginning of the Century project takes a look at Czech visual arts over the course of this century’s first decade and unveils its most essential aspects that are still found in the work of today’s youngest generation of Czech artists. It is based on an examination of the recent past. Many of the works presented consist of those that provoked discussions during that period or significantly shifted the discourse of contemporary art. Despite the fact that they are still fresh and they strongly influence the current scene, to a certain extent they’ve already withstood the test of time.  They demonstrate which media and approaches were used by artists in the first decade, what they were thinking about or what they were trying to change.

All media appear here just as they do on the current art scene: painting, photography, video sculptures, objects, installations, as well as projects and activities that cannot be easily assigned to an individual medium. Combining different media, post-conceptual work with forms and content, the undermining and expansion of the borders of art toward social and political activities are typical for the present-day post-media situation.