Karlin Studios
Po rekonstrukci velké tovární haly ČKD v Karlíně, bývalé průmyslové čtvrti na Praze 8, vznikl v roce 2005 unikátní komplex uměleckých ateliérů a galerií Karlin Studios, který se stal prvním svého druhu v Praze. Zakladatel a iniciátor tohoto projektu byl architekt a sběratel umění Alberto Di Stefano, ve spolupráci s umělcem Jiřím Davidem.
V prostorách multifunkčního kulturního centra se nachází cca 17 ateliérů k pronajímání vybraným umělcům a jeden ateliér rezidenční. Za 10 let existence prošlo objektem Karlin studios nejen mnoho významných umělců, ale i dalších institucí a galerií. Mimo jiné např. nakladatelství Divus s časopisem Umělec nebo Nadace pro současné umění Praha. Z dlouhodoběji působících galerií pak zejména Galerie Entrance, k.art.on nebo KIV, které spolu s centrální galerií Karlin studios pak uspořádaly několik stovek výstav.
V období své největší slávy tak bylo možné pod jednou střechou umění vytvářet, vystavovat, reflektovat a dokumentovat.
Profil Karlin studios je do jisté míry retrospektivní. Uzavírá desetiletou etapu fungování neboť se instituce po 10 letech své existence v Karlíně přesouvá do nových prostor na Praze 7 a stávající budovu pohltí rozšiřující se komplex kancelářských prostor.
- Is it on?00:00:21.974
- 00:00:21.974
- We can go on?00:00:26.974
- 00:00:26.974
- OK, so this is an essential installation of this exhibition, this little cross,00:00:29.285
- 00:00:29.285
- originally it lay over there behind the Darth Vader statue,00:00:35.666
- 00:00:35.666
- and this dog, this dog…00:00:40.195
- 00:00:40.195
- just took it away from me, man!00:00:43.574
- 00:00:43.574
- And that is what Czech art is about…00:00:46.655
- 00:00:46.655
- It all started in 2005 if I’m not mistaken.00:00:49.157
- 00:00:49.157
- Jiří David and other artists had a studio at Wenceslas square,00:00:52.789
- 00:00:52.789
- in this huge building before reconstruction,00:00:58.573
- 00:00:58.573
- and they were all given notice to quit00:01:01.463
- 00:01:01.463
- and Jirka came to me, we met two years prior to that when we opened Futura,00:01:04.512
- 00:01:04.512
- and he asked me if we had any space for a studio since I was a developer,00:01:10.151
- 00:01:10.151
- and I said I didn’t but that I thought it would be better00:01:17.805
- 00:01:17.805
- to form a bigger group of artists and look for a bigger space,00:01:22.812
- 00:01:22.812
- to create something together.00:01:27.488
- 00:01:27.488
- Ten years ago it was still sort of an after-revolution era00:01:56.216
- 00:01:56.216
- so it was a time when there was a significant lack of space for artistic professions in Prague,00:02:03.035
- 00:02:03.035
- because gradually all those spaces in factories and so on in the city center or around it00:02:10.235
- 00:02:10.235
- were used for commercial or economic activities00:02:20.274
- 00:02:20.274
- so the artists were pushed away and there wasn't even anywhere to go.00:02:25.865
- 00:02:25.865
- So back then I think there was nothing like this,00:02:31.282
- 00:02:31.282
- so it was the first project of this type here in Prague,00:02:37.657
- 00:02:37.657
- of course we used some good well known models from other cities and so on,00:02:41.315
- 00:02:41.315
- but we really tried to meet the strong demand for space for creation.00:02:47.265
- 00:02:47.265
- We had a considerably large studio space here,00:02:58.767
- 00:02:58.767
- and the common problem with a shared studio space is that00:03:03.788
- 00:03:03.788
- an individual doesn’t know why he should pay while the others don’t.00:03:09.419
- 00:03:09.419
- I think the attitude towards payment, that is always a problem of these half punk projects,00:03:16.600
- 00:03:16.600
- was an still is a problem here as well.00:03:24.639
- 00:03:24.639
- It is interesting that the artists chosen for the Karlín studios00:03:29.650
- 00:03:29.650
- were generated in advance based on some discussions about who needed a studio00:03:38.378
- 00:03:38.378
- and there was also this idea that the people00:03:50.777
- 00:03:50.777
- should give a good mark to the address.00:03:57.572
- 00:03:57.572
- Even the developers, owners of the object, they liked the idea,00:04:01.021
- 00:04:01.021
- they even started several projects way before that,00:04:04.448
- 00:04:04.448
- to use office spaces and so on for artists and galleries.00:04:10.083
- 00:04:10.083
- So Jirka asked about the object and then I put together the project,00:04:16.883
- 00:04:16.883
- we thought it would be good to have both studios and a space for a gallery,00:04:24.081
- 00:04:24.081
- both for younger artists and the already established ones like Jirka and his colleagues.00:04:29.383
- 00:04:29.383
- So we made an interesting mix, that we created a certain model00:04:38.000
- 00:04:38.000
- where a bigger part of the rent could be paid in art,00:04:44.973
- 00:04:44.973
- which was interesting because for the artists it was easier than to pay in cash,00:04:51.674
- 00:04:51.674
- and the owners gradually had an interesting collection of art works.00:04:57.957
- 00:04:57.957
- The smaller part then is paid in cash to cover the necessities00:05:04.426
- 00:05:04.426
- like gas, water, all this banal stuff.00:05:12.363
- 00:05:12.363
- The opening exhibition was supposed to be in two galleries,00:05:40.235
- 00:05:40.235
- there were two galleries planned,00:05:47.417
- 00:05:47.417
- the first one was Václav Stratil,00:05:49.888
- 00:05:49.888
- the exhibition did take place but Václav Stratil was doing drugs then00:05:52.277
- 00:05:52.277
- so the exhibition of paintings turned into an exhibition of photographs00:06:00.429
- 00:06:00.429
- which turned into an exhibition of one negative00:06:03.552
- 00:06:03.552
- he tried to hit with a throwing knife00:06:09.570
- 00:06:09.570
- so it was a messy start.00:06:15.012
- 00:06:15.012
- We always wanted other gallerists here to make it more lively,00:06:54.127
- 00:06:54.127
- so in the back we had the Entrance gallery00:06:59.976
- 00:06:59.976
- that worked here for eight years before they moved to Břevnov,00:07:04.526
- 00:07:04.526
- and then there were other people there, now there is k.art.on and others,00:07:13.938
- 00:07:13.938
- it works quite well.00:07:19.810
- 00:07:19.810
- There also used to be the Center for contemporary arts,00:07:21.960
- 00:07:21.960
- also for about eight years before they found a new space in Holešovice,00:07:29.762
- 00:07:29.762
- and of course there are the studios.00:07:34.899
- 00:07:34.899
- We have seventeen studios but I think most of the time00:07:37.603
- 00:07:37.603
- there were twenty or twenty five artists here,00:07:40.637
- 00:07:40.637
- as especially the younger ones shared one studio between two or three of them.00:07:43.039
- 00:07:43.039
- There was a mix of younger and older ones,00:07:50.357
- 00:07:50.357
- mostly Czech but also foreigners established here in Prague,00:07:54.179
- 00:07:54.179
- and then it was important for us to keep one of the nicest studios free for residencies,00:08:03.906
- 00:08:03.906
- a space for artists from various countries we collaborate with00:08:13.693
- 00:08:13.693
- so they could come for two or three months to work in Prague.00:08:18.717
- 00:08:18.717
- So the studio for residents gradually turned into another exhibiting space,00:08:23.558
- 00:08:23.558
- because during every opening we also tried to present work of the current resident.00:08:29.331
- 00:08:29.331
- It will be all conducted by them, following their plan,00:08:56.394
- 00:08:56.394
- they can decide on material or the way they will work with the people,00:09:00.200
- 00:09:00.200
- and I was interested in preparing this space for the confrontation of the artists with the public00:09:06.958
- 00:09:06.958
- that visits exhibitions where they see the works,00:09:16.583
- 00:09:16.583
- but here they have the opportunity to interact or work with the artist.00:09:20.301
- 00:09:20.301
- ...we would like to ask you to take a look around here00:09:44.065
- 00:09:44.065
- and try to document something that is changing,00:09:46.065
- 00:09:46.065
- something that takes your interest here in Karlín.00:09:48.948
- 00:09:48.948
- There is a space for an address on the other side00:09:50.948
- 00:09:50.948
- so you can fill it in and then we can send it to whomever you want to.00:09:54.171
- 00:09:54.171
- It will be a little bit focused on psychology,00:09:58.675
- 00:09:58.675
- and it is diletant because I don’t really go too deep,00:10:04.788
- 00:10:04.788
- I rather rely on instinct, and it will also be about your own instinct.00:10:13.034
- 00:10:13.034
- Please take the refreshment, I am Vladimír Skrepl and let’s start.00:10:21.683
- 00:10:21.683
- First of all I don’t like the desks like this at school,00:10:29.606
- 00:10:29.606
- I don’t know if you do… -Not really…00:10:33.686
- 00:10:33.686
- OK, make it more comfortable then.00:10:36.211
- 00:10:36.211
- I will ask you have you ever tried to forged your parents’ signature…00:11:27.384
- 00:11:27.384
- It was a long time ago, but you did…00:11:36.427
- 00:11:36.427
- Never…00:11:41.417
- 00:11:41.417
- How about you Martin.00:11:43.785
- 00:11:43.785
- I only learned it..00:11:45.785
- 00:11:45.785
- And you never used it.00:11:47.785
- 00:11:47.785
- Good afternoon, we would like to welcome you at yet another art class,00:11:56.117
- 00:11:56.117
- today we will do a tour to Ládví- Sídliště Ďáblice.00:12:00.466
- 00:12:00.466
- It is located 10- 15 minutes away from Karlín studios, so we should be there at around 4 PM.00:12:05.956
- 00:12:05.956
- As you may have noticed, you can see something is happening with the time, it is reversed,00:12:15.858
- 00:12:15.858
- so I would like to ask you to overcome the obstacles backwards.00:12:22.863
- 00:12:22.863
- In 2007 Karlín studios was guaranteed for five years,00:13:26.901
- 00:13:26.901
- the artists here were guaranteed to have the studios for five years00:13:31.236
- 00:13:31.236
- and that in those five years each one of them should be entitled to two exhibitions,00:13:39.469
- 00:13:39.469
- I don’t think all of the artists used this opportunity,00:13:47.616
- 00:13:47.616
- and also the model of exhibiting in the main space changed over the time.00:13:54.524
- 00:13:54.524
- I think in the first year and a half it was my responsibility00:14:00.910
- 00:14:00.910
- to deal with the people who would exhibit here,00:14:05.672
- 00:14:05.672
- two thirds of those artists were supposed to be the residents here00:14:13.894
- 00:14:13.894
- and the remaining third confronting new projects from the outside.00:14:19.541
- 00:14:19.541
- So I took the job because I was proud something new was starting00:14:26.743
- 00:14:26.743
- and then I recommended Viktor Čech, a very educated and skilled man in my opinion,00:14:35.795
- 00:14:35.795
- so Viktor Čech took care of it for the following two years00:14:47.423
- 00:14:47.423
- under probably not very great financial conditions,00:14:55.682
- 00:14:55.682
- then I think Karlín studios merged so much in terms of fundings with the programme of Futura00:14:58.824
- 00:14:58.824
- that the management became responsibility of people from Futura,00:15:10.966
- 00:15:10.966
- it was Pavla Gajdošíková, after she had left for maternity leave it was Klára Adamcová00:15:19.473
- 00:15:19.473
- and now it is Caroline Crzyszton.00:15:27.860
- 00:15:27.860
- It is important to realize that back then in Prague there weren't many opportunities for such exhibitions,00:16:02.555
- 00:16:02.555
- there was Futura which has always been sort of elitist,00:16:09.803
- 00:16:09.803
- there was no Meet Factory yet,00:16:14.927
- 00:16:14.927
- and all the remaining galleries were like Jelení, very small and intimate,00:16:19.457
- 00:16:19.457
- there was of course NoD, but it wasn’t a proper gallery then,00:16:25.410
- 00:16:25.410
- it was just a space as we remember it before it was renovated,00:16:30.126
- 00:16:30.126
- so it wasn’t ideal.00:16:37.250
- 00:16:37.250
- What I liked was that it wasn’t a snobbish white cube,00:16:38.922
- 00:16:38.922
- a fully professionalized space,00:16:44.299
- 00:16:44.299
- there was a punk level to it, not in the sense of a dirty alternative00:16:49.592
- 00:16:49.592
- but in that it was about art in the first place00:16:55.084
- 00:16:55.084
- and in the beginning there was a good community bond,00:16:59.147
- 00:16:59.147
- there was a decent selection of artists,00:17:05.222
- 00:17:05.222
- lately it has been a little scattered, there are people from various circles, it is not so tight,00:17:08.972
- 00:17:08.972
- the initial idea of community didn’t really work so well00:17:17.681
- 00:17:17.681
- but if one had a contact with the space, it meant a contact with an interesting spectrum of artists.00:17:22.618
- 00:17:22.618
- In Karlín studios, in its new space, I will exhibit a documentation of famous performance artists,00:17:28.781
- 00:17:28.781
- a documentation that was never approved by the authors00:17:37.443
- 00:17:37.443
- and can be found freely on the web.00:17:41.069
- 00:17:41.069
- More than a year ago we found out it really had to end,00:17:44.222
- 00:17:44.222
- that really something is going to be built here,00:17:50.418
- 00:17:50.418
- so we thought since we were here for ten years it wouldn’t be bad to make a big exhibition00:17:52.928
- 00:17:52.928
- to say good bye and to celebrate the ten years of existence of the gallery.00:18:02.338
- 00:18:02.338
- Funny things was that when the exhibition was already here the owner told us it will not be torn down yet, maybe in a year,00:18:09.051
- 00:18:09.051
- so the exhibition's symbolic idea to say good bye lost its sense in a way,00:18:22.898
- 00:18:22.898
- but I guess we will not make another exhibition like that in the future.00:18:30.058
- 00:18:30.058
- And it was like this every year, every two years it was supposed to end,00:18:38.013
- 00:18:38.013
- and it just keeps getting longer,00:18:42.798
- 00:18:42.798
- so maybe even this uncertainty was not a bad way00:18:45.788
- 00:18:45.788
- to deal with the unpredictable world.00:18:55.102