The Venetian Pavilion will reopen again in August; it was damaged by a storm

Prague - The Czechoslovak pavilion in Venice, which was damaged by a very strong storm in July and is currently closed, will reopen to the public during the holidays. National Gallery Prague (NGP) spokesperson Karolína Pláničková stated this in response to a CTK inquiry today. The storm damaged the roof of the building. The extent of the damage caused by the storm was not disclosed by the spokesperson. From May to November, the pavilion hosts an exhibition of works by Stanislav Kolíbal, who represents the Czech Republic at this year's Venice Biennale of Visual Arts.

The storm swept through Venice on the night of July 8-9. "A manager is present on-site throughout the period, working with the administrator and NGP management to address all necessary steps for dealing with the emergency and reopening the pavilion. These steps are subject to safety regulations from the biennale administration and thus require their approval," Pláničková told CTK. So far, fallen trees have been removed, broken skylight glass and shading tarps were cleared, and safety measures have been taken around the pavilion. "Primarily, the artworks needed to be secured against damage," the spokesperson noted.

The National Gallery Prague is now working on a temporary roofing for the pavilion and static assessments needed for the reconstruction of the glass roof of the skylight and its load-bearing structures. It is therefore in contact with the Czech Ministry of Culture, the biennale administration, the city of Venice, and the insurance company.

The Czechoslovak pavilion is one of the oldest in the Venice gardens, built by Otakar Novotný in 1925. Since the division of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have alternated in preparing the exhibition in the pavilion, with this year's exhibition at the biennale once again under the responsibility of the National Gallery Prague after four years. The Venice Biennale always attracts over half a million international visitors. It was first held in 1885.

The pavilion has seen little investment for a long time, and its condition is not ideal according to previous information from the NGP and according to exhibitors. For example, it lacks air conditioning, making it very hot in the summer. Former NGP director Jiří Fajt stated in January that he misses stronger interest that would be manifested by more significant support from state authorities. At the end of last year, the NGP began preparations for a complete reconstruction of the pavilion, and now an architectural study has been completed.

According to Pláničková, the NGP is currently assessing the study together with the Slovak National Gallery. "The budget and all plans are subject to approval by the Slovak side. Parallel negotiations have taken place at the level of the ministries of both countries," she stated. All institutions are aware that this is an important state presentation and cultural capital that needs attention.

The investment costs are shared by the NGP and the Slovak National Gallery in a two-to-one ratio, while operational costs are split equally. The annual costs of regular operation for the NGP amount to nearly one million crowns. The money goes towards security, for example. The gallery, which has been receiving over a quarter of a billion crowns annually from the state budget for its operations in recent years, also takes care of its collections and six palaces in downtown Prague. It employs about 250 people.

Last week, Deník N pointed out the poor state of the Venice pavilion. In addition to the lack of air conditioning, according to its information, the roof does not adequately insulate, the electrical wiring in the pavilion is outdated, and the facilities do not meet standards.