Art in PALLADIUM - Long-term ExhibitionArt in PALLADIUM - Long-term Exhibition
- Glass columns
- The unique wooden roof of the former riding stable
- Fountain sculpture at the Riding Court
- The Toilet Play
Glass columns
Between 1983 and 1985 Václav Cígler, one of the most important contemporary glass artists, created some unique glass columns and slabs for the Prague metro’s Náměstí Republiky station. For many years afterwards, travellers on Metro line B were able to see the effects created when the beams of light were broken by the laminated, polished glass pillars.
In the 1990s, the metro hall became a commercial area and the glass columns were moved to the edge of the hall, where there was no light thus losing the ambiance created by these obelisks. They were damaged by graffiti and other vandalism, and faced complete destruction.
From autumn 2007, the glass columns became part of the entrance hall at the Na Poříčí entrance of PALLADIUM’s office space.
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The unique wooden roof of the former riding stable
The riding stable was designed by K. Pichal and built from 1857 to 1861. The most interesting feature of this building is its wooden roof, which is designed without tie-beams. This style is known as an Orme vault. The main load-bearing construction of the riding stables is formed by thirteen vaults.
Due to moisture, leaks and presence of dry rot and wood-destroying fungi resulted in the laps of the roof’s surface cohesion and expert restoration was essential. So the entire roof was dismantled and underwent complex conservation treatment, and later mantled back to its original place.
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Fountain sculpture at the Riding Court
Pavel Roučka is a notable contemporary Czech artist who has created a work entitled The Riding Court. It was mounted in the entrance hall at the side of the riding school building on Na Poříčí street, and part of it was the renovated original wall that ran along the boundary of the land with the buildings that belong to the neighbouring Church of St. Joseph, and the fountain sculpture.
Roučka found his inspiration in the history of the building. He was fascinated by the structure of the old 17th-century stones, and the 19th-century horse troughs, and decided to incorporate these two elements into his work. The stone wall will gain a bas-relief featuring stylised horses’ heads, while the fountain sculpture will consist of 7 marble troughs from which water will cascade out.
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The Toilet Play
The Toilet Play are series of photographs by young Czech photographer Zuzana Panska at the public toilets on the level +2 and –2 of the Shopping mall in PALLADIUM. The life size photographs are showing people acting in usual and unusual way at the toilet space pointing out the humorous situations.
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More Info: www.cumarte.cz
