What role can design play in the life of a president, or even in the life of an entire country? The exhibition Design for Václav Havel, created on the occasion of President Václav Havel's would-be 90th birthday, presents the first post-November head of state through the objects he surrounded himself with and which were created for Prague Castle during his presidency. Bořek Šípek's furniture, Theodor Pištěk's uniforms, Eva Jiřičná's architecture, and the work of other extraordinary artists show the transformation of the Castle after 1989 and Havel's exceptional interest in the environment in which he lived and worked. For him, Prague Castle was not only the seat of the president but primarily a cultural symbol of the country, whose new form was to express the values of a democratic state.
One of the central exhibits is Václav Havel's study, designed by Bořek Šípek, known, among other things, from television broadcasts of presidential speeches. After more than twenty years, during which it was deposited with a private owner, it ceremoniously returns to Prague Castle on this occasion. Alongside it, the exhibition will present well-known and lesser-known objects associated with Havel's activities at the Castle, thus revealing another aspect of his personality.
The curators of the exhibition are Andrea Běhounková and Jana Zielinski.
The exhibition was prepared by Prague Castle in cooperation with DesignBlok.
Design for Václav Havel
Ends in 16 days
