Pin is an artwork in the form of an elongated kinetic pin that symbolically marks the location of the Kunsthalle Praha on Prague’s cultural map.
Kunsthalle Praha has undergone a sensitive reconstruction that respects the context of the original building and the urban character of Klárov. After nearly four years of active exhibition and programme activity, we feel it has become a place worth remembering and something deserving to be identified and highlighted within its surroundings.
The project loosely follows the original plans, which envisioned placing a series of light-kinetic sculptures by the avant-garde sculptor Zdeněk Pešánek on the facade of the transformer station, now gallery. Unfortunately, his artwork titled „One Hundered Years of Electricity“ never appeared on the building.
Pin responds to the historical context of both the building itself and Pešánek’s sculptures. Our goal was to build on the legacy of electricity, which is still present in the basement of the Kunsthalle in the form of a power substation, while also „pinning“ the institution itself. The object blends references to the production of the wind energy, a prominent milestone of the last century, and at the same time, in a place with heavy foot traffic it tells its own story through the form of a pin.
This artistic intervention is based on previous research into the geographical, political, and social connections of this specific site in the very heart of Prague. One of the project’s main challenges is to bring contemporary art to Klárov, into the historical center, which is attractive for its cultural heritage. One of its ambitions is to spark curiosity in the viewer (whether a local resident or a visitor to Prague) about the exhibition programme presented inside the building.
Štěpán Smetana and Terezie Lexová are award-winning designers who, thanks to their distinctive style, created a work in a simple and clean form that uses a light effect and, through its kinetic function, can attract attention without overwhelming the viewer visually. In keeping with kinetic art, the movement is provided by metal blades that form the head of the pin. They allow smooth rotation depending on the current weather, and together with its pearl white color, they draw the observer’s attention to its presence.
