ROME

Hana Schenkov Director

The Czech Centre Rotterdam aimed to prepare a programme that would resonate also beyond the Presidency. The most visible project was Patrik Antczak’s mural. In cooperation with Leiden University, “The Václav Havel European Dialogues” were held. The Presidency finished with a Christmas concert. Other events included an exhibition of photographs, screening of Czech films at local festivals, a sports challenge and filming of the contributions for “Visions for Europe”. Czech Christmas decorations created a pleasant atmosphere in three Dutch cities.

The preparations for the Presidency started already in 2021. The flagship project was “Street Meets (Mural) Art”. Our goal was to make it a meaningful and well-prepared project that would be part of the local context. Right at the beginning we faced a big challenge because we needed a wall. It proved to be very important to cooperate with Blind Walls Gallery in Breda, a renowned gallery of murals, which prides itself on over a hundred successful projects. Its director Dennis Elbers went to Czechia on a curator visit. For the work in Breda, the illustrator Patrik Antczak was chosen. From the beginning, the project included students from the local grammar school under leadership of the arts teacher Willy Duffhues, whose enthusiasm and energy were contagious. The students helped Patrik with the research of themes and the painting. The fact that the unveiling ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Breda Paul Depla and the Czech Ambassador Kateřina Sequensová is a proof of the importance of the event. The mural shows an imaginary café visited by the historical figures John Amos Comenius, Mayor of Breda Antonius Guljé, Kazimir Malevič, Pallas Athena and Čapek’s robot. Patrik’s painting is located near the grammar school in the city centre and is part of a hiking and cycling trail. A lot of meetings and conversations took place at the mural and the project attracted many young people. Patrik will soon return to Breda. At the end of January, he will pass on his experience with the creation of the mural to the students of the Academy of Art and will present his illustration works to the students from the grammar school.