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About the gallery

Entrance Gallery is the first artistic space in Prague that focuses systematically in its long-term program on the issues of ecological sustainability and care for the environment. We view this problem as socially urgent and very complex because it includes a wide spectrum of constituent topics and questions. This allows us to structure the gallery program to include the introduction of various artistic, theoretical, or practical attitudes and views.

As far as the actual gallery operation is concerned, we try to implement such practices that correspond with our environmentally and ecologically conscious content. The key values for us are those striving for sustainability and aiming to reduce consumption, those that support horizontal cooperation, discussion and (self)education and those that also stress the importance of slow curating, preferring quality over quantity. In this sense, we try to focus on long-term cooperation and activities that don’t necessarily lead towards immediate public presentation, but are an essential part of developing the gallery’s mission and applying our vision (for instance, the reading group, international networking, and cooperation on artistic projects that take place during the whole year etc.).

The dramaturgy of the gallery is now based on three main program ‘pillars’ and we would like to add a fourth one:

  1. Exhibitions and artistic events
  2. Research and community-based program focused towards the artistic scene
  3. Educational program aimed at the neighbourhood, education and popularization of the general public
  4. Long-term artistic projects connected to gallery’s place and/or residencies

The curator’s statement

In Entrance Gallery, we follow key feminist principles such as cooperation, sharing, solidarity and care. By creating the gallery program, we don’t want to build a position from which we would ‘usurp’ a certain range of knowledge, discourse, or artistic practice. We are aware that the environmental problem has also in the Czech artistic context both a rich and a long history (not only corresponding with current global climate changes, biosphere etc.) and a vibrant present. Our ambition, of course, is to generate a program of quality and meaning. We aren’t interested in ‘competing’ with other organisations, projects or individuals focusing on the same themes, rather, we want to avoid that at all costs. That’s because their work and interest show a principal need for mutual support and sharing. Our goal is to initiate cooperation, to learn from others, to give space to others. If we are to address issues of sensitivity towards the environment, we need to be sensitive to each other.

In the long run, we try to establish and deepen relationships with others. On one hand, we want to create space for other subjects from the artistic sphere to present projects and ways of working that are concerned with the environment, ecology and related topics and to initiate opportunities for mutual sharing (the whole day events like ‘gathering’ – meetings in the monastery garden focused on sharing practical experience and theoretical knowledge). On the other hand, we want to open the gallery space even more to the general public and deepen the relationship of the gallery with its immediate surroundings: with our neighbours who visit the gallery regularly and with Břevnov’s inhabitants in general.

The Project’s history

Entrance Gallery was established in 2005 as a non-profit activity with the main goal being to present contemporary art. The gallery originated as a typical ‘artist-run space,’ i.e. as a space curated by artists for the artists. Entrance started its existence in the former Karlín Studios and moved to the reconstructed orangery in the Břevnov monastery garden in December 2012. In the beginning, the program of the gallery focused almost entirely on the upcoming generation of artists, reflecting the position of the founders: Tereza Velíková, Tereza Severová and Barbora Zachovalová.

The program was aimed at the young progressive generation of artists, mainly students and fresh graduates of artistic universities or artists connected with this generation through their work. The space of the gallery was intended to provide young artists a base that fills the vacuum between the university environment and professional artistic sphere – represented mainly by solo exhibitions. The dramaturgy of the exhibitions gradually changed in response to the changing context of the artistic scene in Prague. In 2020, the management of the gallery was taken over by Tereza Jindrová, who has been cooperating with the gallery as a curator since 2015, and Veronika Čechová. Martin Bražina remains the main production and technical manager, and Ola Bražinová takes care of the production and administration matters. With the change of leadership, the gallery has changed its long-term focus.

Entrance Gallery is supported by Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, Prague City Hall and Municipal District of Prague 6