Unofficial Public Art In Czech Republic

This essay investigates art in public space created outside of official structures. Environment of its creation, including authors' intentions, nature of individual techniques and its social and cultural impact and media image are described and assessed in this work. The essay opens with definition of the public space based upon socially critical theories in terms of which I, then, attempt to describe Czech contemporary society. Next, it gives a historical overview of artistic activities on the border of the law which aimed to influence the public at large. Chronologically, it highlights selected works by, for instance, Vladimír Boudník and action artists such as Milan Knížák until the end of 1980's. The paper's main focus, however, is contemporary Public art. Illegal public art is thereby defined including all its sub-categories. With reference to individual significant works of art I try to illustrate various attributes of today's engaged art. I investigate multiple attempts of Czech artists to promote their works as socially significant phenomena, i.e. to join art and life together. I am deeply intrigued with how art is perceived by large and open public. My main focus is art within urban environment, even though public space may be more healthy on its outside. I intentionally omit the platform which is currently the most liberal niche of free communication and artistic work, the internet. Field of interest of this paper may be defined within the boundaries of these terms: image of illegal street art in different public media, social critique, art outside galleries and official structures, social impact of art, engaged art, subversion, streetart and life in the city. In this work I try to find the answer to the question, whether Czech public space (if there is any) is used freely as a platform for independent art