(12/17/2013)
Mostecka 3 (backyard), Prague 1, http://www.galeriepavilon.cz/
Pavilon is a tiny art space located in the backyard of a building close to the Lesser Side-side (Malá Strana) of the Charles Bridge. It is being kept alive thanks to the enthusiasm of its founders since five years already. From initially holding exhibitions, Pavilon turned to holding ‘situations’ which usually take the form of an artistic performance during the opening.
Marketa Magidova’s piece was more like a one-piece exhibition than a performance. She presented a new book of stories – a text based artwork. The stories fall apart and are being deconstructed in different methods while the reader proceeds through the text. In the installation, which in itself was very clean, neat and simple, three concentric veils with words printed on them were placed in the middle of the space. In the very center of the three veils, a round stool was placed with the book hanging on a wire above it, in the very center. The words on the veils corresponded to sounds a person would do as a reaction to reading the book: From confusion (“ugh?”) to understanding (“oh!”) etc. Simple and neat, even without reading the book I enjoyed the subtle conceptual play with language going on there.