Events: November 2013
October 2013
December 2013
Kateřina Štenclová: Continuo II
08/10/13 – 07/11/13 Exhibitions
Karenina Štenclová (born 1959, Prague) is one of the few painters on the Czech scene to have focused purely on abstract painting over a long period. She began experimenting with colour and image during her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague between 1982 and 1988. From the monochromatic canvasses that she created in the 1990s she moved on to the free gestural painting she still goes in for to this day. More
Publishers Větrné mlýny at the VHL
November 5, 2013, 19:00
Větrné mlýny (Windmills) brings out books, organises the European literary festival Month of Authorial Readings and produces films about literature. The publishing house will be represented by Petr Minařík and Pavel Řehořík in an evening that will feature a “lecture”, films and a surprise.
Poet Michal Matzenauer Presents Latest Collection
November 6, 2013, 19:00
An evening of poetry with Michal Matzenauer, a poet, artist, Charter 77 signatory and author of the collections Alkohol v krvi (Alcohol in the Blood) (1981), Pokročilá doba (Advanced Period) (1982) and Soukromý labyrinth (Private Labyrinth) (2009). The author will present his most recent volume Ostrovy v hlavě (Islands in the Head) (Dybbuk, 2013), which like his previous work is accompanied by visual art. Music: Josef Janíček and Company
Bellová and Němec: New Works
November 7, 2013, 19:00
The writers Bianca Bellová and Jan Němec will present their new books, which have been issued by the Host publishing house. Bellová’s novella, set in the present day, is entitled Celý den se nic nestane (Nothing Happens All Day), while Němec’s latest work is a novel about the photographer František Drtikol Dějiny světla (The History of Light). Adrian T. Bell will provide musical accompaniment in the form of songs from his new solo LP.
Libor Krejcar: Forms of Fire
08/11/13 – 08/12/13 Exhibitions
Opening of an exhibition of scorched drawings by Libor Krejcar from the series Forms of Fire (2000–2004). Music: Vratislav Brabenec and Joe Karafiát. Libor Krejcar (born 1961 Ostroměř – Hořice v Podkrkonoší) is a visual artist, above all a sculptor, who has been active on the Czech art scene since the mid 1980s. His early work, which involved happenings and objects, was in part influenced by the Crusaders’ School of Pure Humour Without Jokes and the underground scene. In time he moved to an unmistakable form of expression which he lays down in a focused manner in extensive series (the most important of them has been the sculpture collection Pantheria, 1983–2000). Since 1982 he has also been engaged as a musician and lyricist and he is about to release a new album Mezi nebem a zemí (Between the Heavens and the Earth) with the band The Tamers of Flowers (Guerilla Records, 2013). More
An Evening with Arnošt Goldflam
November 11, 2013, 19:00
The renowned Brno man of the theatre will speak about his life and artistic adventures and conquests, as well as recalling his encounters with Václav Havel and his plays. He will also present his most recent book, Táta a jeho syn (Dad and His Son).
Samizdat and Expedition Editions
12/11/13 – 10/12/13 Exhibitions
An evening dedicated to Edice Expedice (Expedition Editions), a series begun by Václav Havel and his friends in 1975, and more. Visitors to the Lucerna Passage will learn about the production of banned books in the normalisation period in Czechoslovakia, and how they were smuggled abroad, from those who served in that era’s secret underground publishers and who put themselves in danger by doing so. This Václav Havel Library event will open up a subject covered in the forthcoming VHL Notebooks No. 16 entitled The Expedition Editions Story. Special thanks: Centrum FotoŠkoda
Yan Lianke to Discuss Four Books with Translator
November 13, 2013, 19:00
In the foreword to the Czech edition of his Four Books, Yan Lianke describes himself as a traitor to literary art, which is how he explains the fact that no publisher in China wanted to publish the book there. The novel Four Books was published in Hong Kong in 2010 and was published in Czech this year by the Verzone imprint. It was translated by Zuzana Li, who will discuss with the author Four Books, Kafka and the scandal surrounding his “betrayal of literature”.
The Czech Path to Freedom
November 18, 2013, 17:00
Presentation of the book Česká cesta ke svobodě (The Czech Path to Freedom) by the journalist Petr Maxmilián Husák, with guests Karel Schwarzenberg on hand to help launch it. The work offers a fascinating account of all of the recesses of modern Czech history and politics in the years 1977–1997. It is based on the testimonies of several members of the post-1989 elite who, with humour and some exaggeration, recall and assess all of the most important decisions and actions of the period’s key actors. Alternative post-Velvet Revolution developments are also considered, while it offers readers a glimpse behind the scenes of Czech politics and looks back at a unique conjunction of events at the end of the 1980s and start of the 1990s that not even the greatest director could have dreamt up.
150 Years of Umělecká beseda
November 19, 2013, 19:00
An evening dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the artists’ group Umělecká beseda. Art theorist Richard Drury and his guests will discuss the history of the group, which Václav Havel was also involved with, its return to cultural life in the wake of the Velvet Revolution and its current activities.
Memory of Dissent III: Milan Uhde – Milan Uhde and the Former Regime
November 20, 2013, 10:00
The third in a series of lectures dedicated to the “memory” of the Czech dissent. The Memory of Dissent series is organised by the Historical Sociology department of the Faculty of Humanities at Charles University and the Václav Havel Library and headed by sociologist Nicolas Maslowski.
Markéta Křížová: The Czech Lands, Europe and the World
November 20, 2013, 19:00
Missions and the Conquering of America Lecture in a series conceived by Markéta Křížová (Centre for Ibero-American Studies at the Arts Faculty of Charles University) In the Czech context, the term “Jesuit mission” has a negative meaning. In the context of American history, it has come to be regarded as the personification of the efforts of Europeans to impose their civilisation in the face of the “barbarism” of non-European civilisations. However, the missionaries’ ultimate object was the “old” world, i.e., European society. The aim of the missions was not just to spread the “good word” but also to create on the American continent an ideal Christian society. In our age the subject of missions is presented as “cultural genocide” and as a cover for European imperialism. However, is it possible from today’s perspective to condemn efforts stemming from deep-rooted religiosity?
The Post-Election Political Situation
November 21, 2013, 18:00
Where have the elections left the Czech Republic in Europe? Has there been any shift at all? These questions and more will be discussed by journalist and analyst Jan Macháček and his guests: Aleš Chmelař, Jindřich Šídlo, Jiřina Šiklová, Jiří Pehe and Lenka Zlámalová. .
US Ambassador and communist regime in Czechoslovakia
November 21, 2013, 13:30
William Luers and Václav Havel William Luers served as the US Ambassador to Prague from 1983-86 during which time he and his wife Wendy supported independent activities and befriended many dissidents and cultural figures including Vaclav and Olga Havel. More
Literary Grinding Room IV. - Partonyma Means "Words Shared"
November 22, 2013, 19:00
This time established and not-yet-established authors from Eastern Bohemia will appear in the literary salon. Those taking part in readings and a celebration of the magazine PARTONYMA will include Lukáš Vavřečka, Aleš Misař, David Mareš, Kamil Princ, Filip Mikuš and Přemysl Krejčík. Gabriela Romanová will host the evening.
Challenges, Paradoxes, Plays: Václav Havel – No. 2 The Memorandum
November 25, 2013, 19:00
The second of a series of evenings dedicated to Václav Havel’s plays. The Memorandum is about officials and their vain battle to resist the introduction of the perfect official language ptydepe. With Lída Engelová, Ivan M. Havel, Vladimír Just and other guests. The plays of Václav Havel from various points of view: the experience of directors and actors, the opinions of experts and critics, video excerpts and audio recordings, the memories of those involved and last but not least the intentions, inspirations, reflections and remarks of the writer himself. The evening has been prepared by Anna Freimanová.
VHL Film Marathon IX: Václav Havel as media icon
November 26, 2013, 18:00
Václav Havel became an icon for filmmakers and journalists around the world. In the course of the evening, we will present two documentary projects: one was made by the lauded Czech director Ivan Fíla for German television at the start of the 1990s; the other was shot over many years by directors Pavel Koutecký and Miroslav Janek. Screenings:Václav Havel – česká pohádka (Václav Havel – Czech Fairytale) (dir. Ivan Fíla, Germany, Czech Republic, 2009, 90 min) Občan Havel – short version (Citizen Havel – Humid) (dir. Pavel Koutecký, Miroslav Janek, Czech Republic 2009, 120 min)
František Čáp 100
November 27, 2013, 19:00
Evening of remembrance held on the occasion of the 100thanniversary of the birth of František Čáp, one of the most important directors who worked with film producer Miloš Havel (Noční motýl/The Moth, Babička/Grandmother, Jan Cimbura/Jan Cimbura) and a post-war founder of Slovenian cinematography. More