The State Prize for Architecture was awarded to Viktor Rudiš

photo: Michaela Dvořáková (www.fotomisad.cz)

Prague – The State Prize for Literature was awarded to Michal Ajvaz, with the translation by Blanka Stárková. The Ministry of Culture awards were given posthumously to the world-renowned director Miloš Forman and also to Jiří Tichota from the folk group Spirituál kvintet, as well as the former artistic director of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Eva Zaoralová. The Architecture Award was received by Viktor Rudiš, who connected the Brno architectural scene with those of Prague and Liberec. The names of the eight awardees were published by the Ministry of Culture on its website. The awards are presented on the occasion of the national holiday on October 28.

"This year's awarded prizes are a recognition of the artists whose works have enriched Czech culture not only here, but also worldwide. This year is, however, exceptional: it runs in the shadow of a pandemic," stated Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek. The State Prizes and the Ministry of Culture Awards were previously presented at a ceremonial evening at the New Stage of the National Theatre. This year, due to the global coronavirus pandemic and measures against the spread of the disease, they were presented individually to the laureates, the ministry added.

The ministry also recognized architect Rudiš for his moral stances. According to him, he distinguished himself in the history of architecture and urbanism primarily through the project of the Brno housing estate Lesná from the 1960s, the realization of the Czechoslovak pavilion at Expo 1970 in Osaka, Japan, or the reconstruction and extension of Pavilion G at the Brno Exhibition Centre.

The State Prizes have been awarded for literature and for translation works since 1995. The Ministry of Culture Awards for contributions in the field of theatre, music, and visual arts were first presented in 2003, for contributions in architecture and cinematography and audiovisual media in 2009. The award consists of a diploma and a monetary prize of 300,000 crowns.