Havel 26

The studio assignment for the summer term of 2026 focuses on the personality of Václav Havel and the question of what his legacy means for today, especially for the young generation. In the year in which we commemorate what would have been his 90th birthday, the theme provides an opportunity to reflect on the values of truth, freedom, responsibility, and civic engagement in an era marked by information chaos, disinformation, and growing social polarization.

The project encourages students to view Havel's thinking not only as a historical legacy, but as a living stimulus for dialogue with the present: Is Havel still an inspiration? What do moral stance, personal responsibility, and public engagement look like today? And how can his ideas be translated into the language of contemporary art?

The assignment also opens up space for working with Havel's experimental poetry, especially the collection Antikódy (1964), whose visual and conceptual principles can inspire students to create their own artistic interpretations of the themes of absurdity, power, freedom, and dialogue. Students can thus work both on the level of ethical reflection on Havel's legacy and on the level of formal experimentation with language and image.

The call is open to all studios across the faculty. Selected works will be presented at final exams and subsequently exhibited at the Ladislav Sutnar Gallery and possibly other exhibition spaces. The project will include an introductory lecture series on February 26, which will introduce students to the personality, work, and social significance of Václav Havel.