No other king endowed the cathedral so generously and nobly, writes the medieval chronicler František Pražský about Charles IV. He thus recalls his fundamental, though sometimes overlooked, activity: collecting and exhibiting holy relics. The exhibition Fragments of Memory at the Jízdárna Pražského hradu connects medieval artifacts, whose meaning is now distant or foreign, with contemporary art. It encourages reflection on the relationship between past and present.
Emperor Charles IV did not only fulfill the architectural dream of a Gothic cathedral at Prague Castle. The Treasury of St. Vitus, purposefully expanded and enriched, was the most significant evidence of a monarch's ambition supported by the intercession of heavenly patrons. It was – and is – a testament to faith and hope. About stories that we can only understand through objects that are an inseparable part of European memory.
The artworks by leading world artists encourage contemplation. How should we understand Edmund de Waal's enigmatic constructions? What do Josef Koudelka's photographic documents tell us? What language does Gerhard Richter's mirror, turning to the past, speak to us, or Julian Rosefeldt's dreamlike film story? The works of Mark Wallinger and Francis Bacon reflect on the Judeo-Christian traditions of Western civilization. The abuse of (state) power is a common theme for Anselm Kiefer, Magdalena Jetelová, and Joseph Beuys. But are we even prepared to look back and learn from our own past?
The exhibition presents diverse approaches to interpreting objects, history, and the present. Humanity gained power by building extensive information networks that societies and political systems used to advance their goals. Democratic systems allow the free flow of information through independent channels, while totalitarian regimes centralize information into one hub. Even the collection of relics from the Prague cathedral can be viewed as one of the church's powerful communication tools. Even if only fragments of its former splendor have survived.
The author and chief curator of the exhibition is Jiří Fajt. Co-curators are Lennard Hoffmann and Vladimír Kelnar.
The exhibition is organized by Správa Pražského hradu with the main partner of the exhibition, Metropolitní kapitula u sv. Víta v Praze.
You can purchase the exhibition catalog at the exhibition ticket office.
Fragments of Memory: St. Vitus Treasury in the Mirror of Contemporary Art
Ends in 8 days
