Dawn of the Magicians? Lots of questions, few answers, 1996, Prague Post, English
<small>Z Kokolia</small>
autor textu: Tamara Bissell
Dawn of the Magicians? Lots of questions, few answers
týdeník Prague Post, 30.10.1996, vyšlo k výstavě: Jitro kouzelníků?, Národní galerie, Praha
A new project at Veletrzni palac, also known as the Center for Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Gallery, confronts a difficult question: How can we reflect upon the end of an era with works of pre-, early, classic, late and post-modernism? Called an exhibition for lack of better word, Jitro kouzelniku? (Dawn of the Magicians?) is actually an extensive array of art and objects, loosely organized around the theme of "Art, science [and] society at the turn of the millennium," the subhead of the exhibition. It is designed to take place in four phases, with some pieces being replaced by others over the course of the exhibit's 11-month run.
In addition to a large display of works by early 20th century artists such as Josef Vachal and Frantisek Kupka, the first phase brings together more recent artists of exceptional quality, including works by Vladimir Kokolia, which provide a more recent interpretation of the meeting of science (read "technology") and art.
The range of artists in the exhibit, from the 19th century to the present, demonstrates a wide interpretation of the show's theme. Julius Marak's inquisitive landscapes from the last century and Matej Kren's mirror installation "Parking," for example, both call to mind a certain radical ecology rather than a reflection on art or technology. That ecology is not mentioned as a driving force of the exhibition is strange, since most of the works recall or directly relate to society's interaction with nature or with natural forces. Since this exhibition seeks to address such timely issues, it is a pity that this subject has apparently been overlooked.
As a show dedicated also to newer forms of art, a few requisite pieces of video and installation art are present here, some of which go beyond the standard. Janka Vidova-Zackova's "In the Late Evening," a piece with two monitors, is bewitching, as is Swiss artist Roman Signer's video "Helicopter," which is worth watching twice. An installation work by the secret brotherhood B.K.S. (Bude konec Sveta/The End of the World Is Approaching) is a sinister but witty exploration of the secret "harvests" of a landscape painter.
Some items in the show are not "art" per se, but rather objects such as rocks, scientific instruments and machines culled from other museum collections. There is little wall text with these items, allowing for contemplation of the object as a work of art, or as an element in conjunction with the other exhibited works, or just as a moment in our recent technological past. Although these inclusions may be considered an intrusion, it seems also true that these non-"artistic" items test our willingness - at the turn of the millennium? - to view a wider rage of objects and phenomena as artworks.
"Dawn of the Magicians?" is a manifold project, and although its intentional looseness attempts to incite thought about the state of the arts, it can also leave the viewer lost. This may be intentional. As might (or might not) be shown in the upcoming months, this series seeks to pose questions of that sort, but rarely answers them. Whether this, too, is intentional remains to be seen.
