Czech Modern Architecture: From Art Nouveau to Today

Curator of the exhibition: Markéta Jiroušková

The exhibition in honor of the 150th anniversary of Kotěra's birth at the Prague Mánes will be dedicated to significant personalities and important works from more than 120 years of Czech architecture history.
The impetus for the exhibition, which emphasizes modern Czech architecture, is the 150th anniversary of the birth of a leading figure in modern Czech architecture, as well as an architect of international significance, educator, furniture designer, promoter, and inspirer of new trends in architecture and urbanism, Jan Kotěra.
The aim of the exhibition Czech Modern Architecture from Secession to the Present, which will take place in the Riding School of Prague Castle from September 1 to October 31, 2021, is to present modern Czech architecture to both domestic and foreign audiences from the end of the 19th century to the present. The exhibition will also allow the general public to gain a detailed understanding of the historical and architectural heritage of individual regions. The historical axis will consist of a chronological sequence of all architects who contributed to the construction of various cities in our republic.
The organizers of the exhibition, which will be divided into several thematically interconnected parts, are preparing a collection of exhibits of the most significant modern architecture buildings in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. Its introductory section will present Jan Kotěra as the leading figure of Czech modern architecture, with references to his work in individual regional exhibitions, with particular emphasis on the Hradec Králové, Zlín, Ústí nad Labem regions, and the capital city of Prague. Similar attention will be given to other significant creators, such as Josef Gočár, Bohuslav Fuchs, František L. Gahura, Karel Kotas, Ladislav Machoň, Pavel Janák, and many others.