Imprint (1926–2026)

The concept of an imprint has become the central leitmotif for us when mapping the House of Art’s 100 years of history. An imprint can mean an impression, as in soil, or it can signify a trace of something that seems to have been irretrievably lost. The concept aptly characterizes this exhibition project, which maps how the House of Art and its collections have evolved over the course of the years – a process of evolution that has been shaped by the changing times as well as by the people who were instrumental in creating the gallery’s collections. The exhibition presents the key milestones in the gallery’s history as well as its acquisitions strategy throughout its first century of existence (1926–2026). These are two lines that are mutually complementary and co-dependent. Each of these lines has left its imprints on the House of Art’s history. Some have been made visible, while others will remain forever hidden in the mists of time.

Renata Skřebská