Prague - The controversial exhibition of the group Guma Guar entitled Limits of Tolerance is closed for "technical reasons". It is not scheduled to re-open.
The activist-artist group, which originated in 2003, is trying to speak out about controversial themes from the Czech political and artistic scene. In their new project, they reacted to the October 2006 decision of the Ministry of the Interior to end activities of the Communist Youth Alliance (CYA); this was confirmed in March of this year.
In the press release about the "exhibition", members of the group distance themselves from the possibility that they could belong among sympathizers of the youth movement.
Ban them!
Even so, they consider the banning of the activities of the Communist Youth Alliance to be a serious infringement on the freedom of speech. They decided to give the representatives of the CYA an opportunity to present their organization, as well as the entire cause, as part of their previously planned show at Prague's City Gallery.
The first part of the exhibit presents a copy of the correspondence between CYA and the government, as well as a video survey shot in front the Prague Law Faculty. The second part features wall drawings of Che Guevara along with slogans used by the CYA, criticism of capitalism, and praises of Cuba. There is once again a video playing - this one, from a CYA march.
If this act was in fact planned to prompt broad public discussion, it not only failed to open the gates but did not even manage to unlatch them. According to some critics, and also due to the spinelessness of the project, which some might say is not at all worth discussing, the exhibit lacks thoughtfulness, is accusatory and without context.
Four in black
There was one clear reaction, however. As the spokeswoman of Prague's City Gallery, Irena Tyslová, confirmed to Aktuálně.cz, on May 1st around 4 p.m. four people - three men and one woman - dressed in black, entered the exhibition hall and covered the exposition with spray paint.
According to Tyslová, they destroyed not only the exhibition pieces, but also the electronic equipment. The number 242 was painted on the wall. According to the gallery's estimates it is a reference to the number of people executed by the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.
The authors of the work managed to leave before the arrival of the police, who summoned employees of the gallery. The incident is still being investigated. Curators were apparently in shock and did not remember much; unfortunately, the exhibition space does not have a camera system.
Closed for "technical reasons"
After this incident, the exhibition was closed for "technical reasons". Milan Mikuláštík, a member of Guma Guar, told Aktualně.cz that he didn't learn about the closing of the exposition until three days later, and not even from representatives of the gallery. They provided him with a full explanation on Monday.
Mikuláštík personally suspects members of extremist movements, first and foremost, ultra-conservatives.
In the meantime, management of the gallery debated whether to re-open the exhibition, which was to last until the beginning of June. Ultimately, they decided to definitively close it.
For now, the gallery has refused to release photographs of the damaged exhibit.
