Architect Dedeček

The first, a cross-sectional exhibition Vladimír Dedeček – Past and Present from the external curator Monika Mitášová, will reach beyond an overview of his life, projects, and constructions, to present the spaces Dedeček created and their contexts. It can also be seen as an extension of the discussion about the author's architectural thinking, his work, and its interpretation that Monika Mitášová began in her comprehensive 2017 publication. The curator will additionally be concerned with the issues of how to exhibit architecture.

The second element in Alexandra Kusá's concept, Vladimír Dedeček and the SNG, is devoted to the grounds of the Slovak National Gallery and combines an exhibition of architecture with institutional "archaeology". You will learn the stories told about the SNG building and discover the reality, understanding how development of the institution and its premises forms part of the modernisation process, and part of the rebirth of Bratislava as a young metropolis.

Construction of the national gallery was perceived controversially, and not only during its time. The strong architectural concept was the consequence of two personalities – Karol Vaculík, the SNG's director, and Vladimír Dedeček, its architect. How was the idea for expansion of the SNG promoted, in what political and social context were its protagonists required to operate? Who competed, with which projects, and how did the winning design evolve? Why was The Bridge finally implemented and why did it struggle so long for acceptance? What did the project mean for the gallery and what did it mean for its architect?