ABOUT US
We have transformed the former Zenger Transformer Substation in the historic centre of Prague into a vibrant space for a diverse public. Our venue features three spacious gallery halls, a design shop, and a café with a terrace offering charming views of Petřín Hill and Prague Castle. Our international programme focuses on short-term exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, as well as innovative educational activities.
WHY KUNSTHALLE?
The name Kunsthalle Praha is itself an accurate and internationally comprehensible designation of our institution. So-called kunsthalles, originating in the late 19th century, historically functioned as spaces hosting temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Such kunsthalles can still be found all around Europe.
On the one hand, there were museums, spaces for storing and displaying collections; on the other hand, there were kunsthalles, which presented temporary exhibitions of living artists. With time, the conceptions of these two types of institutions began to merge. Accordingly, we are also building our own collection at Kunsthalle Praha, but we will not exhibit it permanently—instead, we will gradually reveal it via temporary thematic exhibitions as well as our online database.
Contemporary kunsthalles represent laboratories of critical thinking and open dialogue about relevant topics both in art and in society more broadly. The aim is not to conserve art, but rather to offer new perspectives and progressive tendencies, and to reflect on the world we live in. Moreover, we also understand this German term— “kunsthalle” — as reflective of Prague’s multicultural roots as a city of three nations, two languages, and a unique charm.
Throughout the 19th and first half of the 20th century, Prague was an important cultural crossroads within Europe, partly due to the coexistence of Czechs, Germans and the Jewish community. We considered it important to retain the German term “kunsthalle” and naturally connect it to the name of the Czech capital city. We see this as a kind of signal for us to collectively become aware of this crucial and still deeply inspirational part of our own history. That is why Kunsthalle Praha.
OUR TEAM
We are an international team that works openly and collaboratively with a wide range of external partners — both local and international, from private and public institutions — as well as with curators, art historians, researchers, education specialists, artists, and volunteers.
We are an independent, non-profit platform connecting the Czech and international art scenes, established by The Pudil Family Foundation.
Ivana Goossen
Director
Soňa Poláková
Finance & Administration Manager
Christelle Havranek
Chief Curator
Zuzana Dusilová
PR & Marketing Manager
Martina Freitagová
Manager of Public Programmes
Martina Bláhová
Membership & Development Manager
Štefan Tóth
Collection Manager
Věra Janíčková
Publications Manager, Chief Editor
Tijana Slokar
Design Shop Manager
Petr Hamouz
Facility Manager
OUR MISSION AND VISION
We connect the Czech and international art scenes, present innovative perspectives on 20th- and 21st-century art and culture, and engage the broadest possible audience.
This is the core mission of Kunsthalle Praha, which we fulfil through our curatorial programme. Since opening in 2022, we have organised over 20 exhibitions and introduced a number of international artists to Czech audiences — many of them exhibiting in Prague for the very first time. At the same time, we have provided opportunities for numerous local artists who have previously had limited visibility in other institutions.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Petr Pudil
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Pavlína Pudil
Member of the Board of Directors
Ivana Goossen
Member of the Board of Directors
INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
RESIDENCIES
Kunsthalle Praha recognises the importance of international artistic exchange and dialogue, which is why supporting residencies is a core part of our values. We collaborate with cultural non-profit organisations in the USA and the UK, and thanks to these partnerships, several artists and curators have already taken part in our residency programme.
