The exhibition presents the connection between nature and contemporary art in Norway

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, Selvika / national tourist route, project 2007, completed 2012

Prague - An installation of contemporary art, original suspended viewpoints or rest areas that adorn the landscape of Norway is presented in a new exhibition at the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery. The Artscape Norway project, of which the exhibition is a part, aims to inspire the Czech Republic, where monuments, observation towers, and mountain huts continue to be the main tourist attractions. The exhibition features large photographs and a film displaying the Norwegian situation, complemented by a conference seeking to improve the environment on Prague's Vítkov Hill.
The Norwegian concept of art in nature involved ecologists, landscape architects, art historians, tourism experts, and local governments. The installations were selected through architectural competitions primarily aimed at young architects. The project has also engaged world-renowned artists, such as British sculptor Tony Cragg, Indian artist Anish Kapoor, and Italian Luciano Fabro.
According to the organizers of the exhibition, Norway bet on the combination of tourism, nature conservation, and contemporary art as early as 1994. Local authorities established 18 national tourist routes, collectively measuring over 2000 kilometers and crossing the entire country. Along their paths are artifacts and structures created by young creators from around the world - rest areas, viewpoints, staircases, descents to rivers and lakes, cafes, and other functional buildings.
Creations from the Norwegian landscape are presented in the exhibition through photographs by three authors, which are considered by the organizers as artworks in their own right. They were created by Czech-Norwegian photographer Jiří Havran, a Czech-based author Filip Šlapal, and Norwegian photographer Jarle Waehler. Their large-format images are complemented in the gallery by a documentary titled "The Land of Frosty Viewpoints" by young filmmaker Jan Strejcovský and videos illustrating the realization of selected artifacts on Norway's national tourist routes, public spaces, and in the open landscape.
The Artscape Norway project originated as a journey through these artistic endeavors across Norway and provides an opportunity for a different perspective on the landscape and public spaces. It will also be complemented by a two-day workshop and conference on Vítkov Hill in Prague addressing the possibilities of aestheticizing the specific landscape of Vítkov Hill, involving both Czech and Norwegian artists.