READ: elmgreen & dragset create a curious public library at kunsthalle praha

Elmgreen & Dragset present ‘READ’ at Kunsthalle Praha

For their first major exhibition in the Czech Republic, Elmgreen & Dragset reimagine Kunsthalle Praha as a curious public library. Titled READ, the showcase pays homage to Prague’s literary heritage and brings together works by the artist duo as well as sixty international artists. Centered on the historical and enduring significance of books, the exhibition presents itself as a minimalist rendition of a modern public library, prompting contemplation on our connection with books as physical objects amidst the digital age. The title READ serves a dual purpose, encouraging not only the act of reading, but also learning and understanding, as in ‘read the signs,’ ‘read a situation,’ and ‘read the room’.

Elmgreen & Dragset: READ exhibition view | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

A Journey into Kunsthalle Praha’s Collection

The READ exhibition finds its roots in an initial encounter with Giorgio de Chirico’s Les jouets défendus (1916) (Forbidden Toys), a pivotal piece in Kunsthalle Praha’s Collection. This mysterious painting, featuring nameless books depicted as geometric shapes in an enigmatic setting, sparked the curiosity of Elmgreen & Dragset (find more here), prompting them to delve deeper into the Collection of Kunsthalle Praha (find more here) to discover works that echo de Chirico’s metaphysical portrayal of books.

Building on their recent spatial interventions in exhibitions like Bonne Chance at Centre Pompidou – Metz and Useless Bodies at Fondazione Prada (see designboom’s previous coverage here), READ seamlessly blends a nostalgic nod to the 20th century with a contemporary exploration of pressing issues. This fusion sets the stage for future discussions. In READ, Elmgreen & Dragset view the library not only as a crucial space for knowledge-sharing but also as a provider of essential services, particularly given recent cuts to social safety nets. As digital spaces progressively replace physical ones, the artists subtly probe the future trajectory of public libraries.

Elmgreen & Dragset: READ exhibition view | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Familiar library Structures and Elmgreen & Dragset’s durational Performance

In Gallery 1, visitors will encounter a familiar library setup with bookshelves, an information desk, reading tables, and a restroom. The space will feature strategically placed artworks, some hidden among the bookshelves. The exhibition also includes the fifth iteration of Elmgreen & Dragset’s durational performance, Diaries. Initially presented as Paris Diaries in 2003, subsequent versions were showcased in Istanbul (2013), Hong Kong (2015), and Dallas Diaries (2019). In Prague Diaries, five young men will sit at a long table during Wednesdays and weekends, inviting observers to witness them writing in their diaries. Visitors are encouraged to freely move around, read over the performers’ shoulders, and peruse the notebooks during breaks.

In Gallery 2, Elmgreen & Dragset disrupt traditional library structures by making certain elements inaccessible. Bookshelves hang upside down from the ceiling, and deteriorating, unclimbable stairs lead to a door marked Filozofie (Philosophy). The space features paper works displayed in large glass vitrines, overseen by The Guardian, a sculpture created specifically for the READ exhibition. Another installation highlights recently banned books, emphasizing the lasting importance of libraries as repositories of knowledge. This exhibit seeks to establish a connection between present-day political turmoil and the challenges experienced by totalitarian regimes in the past.

Elmgreen & Dragset: READ exhibition view | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Elmgreen & Dragset, Point of View, Part 1, 2023, © Elmgreen & Dragset | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Elmgreen & Dragset, The Guardian, 2023 © Elmgreen & Dragset | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Elmgreen & Dragset, I, 2023, © MASSIMODECARLO | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Emory Douglas, Black Studies, 1970s | image © Emory Douglas Kunsthalle Praha (Vojtěch Veškrna)

Slavs and Tatars, Kitab Kebab (Lviv and Wrocław), 2021, photo © Slavs and Tatars Kunsthalle Praha (Vojtěch Veškrna)

Elmgreen & Dragset: READ exhibition view | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Elmgreen & Dragset, Other Lovers, 2018 | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Elmgreen & Dragset, Value System, 2023, © Elmgreen & Dragset | image by Vojtěch Veškrna

Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Paul B. Preciado, Une Valise Transféministe, 2019, photo © Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Paul B. Preciado and Esther Schipper

1/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

project info: 

name: READ
artist: Elmgreen & Dragset | @elmgreenanddragsetstudio
location: Kunsthalle Praha | @kunsthallepraha in Prague, Czech Republic
dates: 16 November 2023 – 22 April 2024