The Artistic Decoration of Sport Facilities in Socialist Czechoslovakia: The Case of the Strahov Complex in Prague.

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

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Výsledek na webu

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

The Artistic Decoration of Sport Facilities in Socialist Czechoslovakia: The Case of the Strahov Complex in Prague.

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Sports complexes in socialist Czechoslovakia represented one of the most prominent types of public spaces, the construction of which was generously supported by the state for political reasons. These complexes were also liberally adorned with artistic decorations. Political propaganda and educational policy in socialist society went hand in hand in the case of the artistic decoration of sports facilities, which, moreover, had been a mandatory component since the introduction of the law that required every state building to give between 1 and 4% of its total budget to “artistic decoration”. The Strahov Sports Complex in Prague, including the largest stadium in the world as a venue for major national and international sport events and especially for the spectacular Spartakiads, was no exception. What is more, the complex served as a key platform for the regular holding of important political rituals (such as the Spartakiads), which significantly contributed to the dissemination of the regime's political values. Although the most visually impressive component of the complex was the disciplined body of Spartakiad practitioners displaying perfect synchronisation and coordination of movement, the entire site was naturally complemented by a number of works of art that further underlined its importance as a showcase of the socialist state in terms of its support for and promotion of sporting activities. These objects included sculptures, reliefs and mosaics that decorated both the interiors and exteriors of the entire complex. The paper will discuss the iconography these works of art (e.g. their sport, peace, solidarity motifs), their symbolic location within the complex, and their role as key vehicles of meaning in the promotion of state ideology. Where available sources allow, these works will be analysed in the context of the system of commissioning and approval of art contracts at the time. These works of art have largely disappeared quietly and unnoticed from the present-day Strahov complex, as part of the complex has fallen into a state of disrepair and part has been insensitively rebuilt. The paper is therefore also an attempt to draw attention to this loss of artistic heritage and to draw broader conclusions from it.

Název v anglickém jazyce

The Artistic Decoration of Sport Facilities in Socialist Czechoslovakia: The Case of the Strahov Complex in Prague.

Popis výsledku anglicky

Sports complexes in socialist Czechoslovakia represented one of the most prominent types of public spaces, the construction of which was generously supported by the state for political reasons. These complexes were also liberally adorned with artistic decorations. Political propaganda and educational policy in socialist society went hand in hand in the case of the artistic decoration of sports facilities, which, moreover, had been a mandatory component since the introduction of the law that required every state building to give between 1 and 4% of its total budget to “artistic decoration”. The Strahov Sports Complex in Prague, including the largest stadium in the world as a venue for major national and international sport events and especially for the spectacular Spartakiads, was no exception. What is more, the complex served as a key platform for the regular holding of important political rituals (such as the Spartakiads), which significantly contributed to the dissemination of the regime's political values. Although the most visually impressive component of the complex was the disciplined body of Spartakiad practitioners displaying perfect synchronisation and coordination of movement, the entire site was naturally complemented by a number of works of art that further underlined its importance as a showcase of the socialist state in terms of its support for and promotion of sporting activities. These objects included sculptures, reliefs and mosaics that decorated both the interiors and exteriors of the entire complex. The paper will discuss the iconography these works of art (e.g. their sport, peace, solidarity motifs), their symbolic location within the complex, and their role as key vehicles of meaning in the promotion of state ideology. Where available sources allow, these works will be analysed in the context of the system of commissioning and approval of art contracts at the time. These works of art have largely disappeared quietly and unnoticed from the present-day Strahov complex, as part of the complex has fallen into a state of disrepair and part has been insensitively rebuilt. The paper is therefore also an attempt to draw attention to this loss of artistic heritage and to draw broader conclusions from it.

Druh

O - Ostatní výsledky

CEP obor

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OECD FORD obor

60401 - Arts, Art history

Projekt

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Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2024

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů