Christelle Havranek – författare

Ever since electricity became ubiquitous artists have been fascinated by the manifold possibilities to create works with it. The catalogue Kinetismus: 100 Years of Electricity in Art, which accompanies the opening exhibition of Kunsthalle Praha, explores how electricity has transformed artistic practice from 1920 to the present day, including cinematography, sound, kinetic and mechanical sculptures, computer-based art and immersive installations. A historical perspective emphasizes the fact that electricity, with its various usages—from artificial light to computing—has become a defining element of our societies.Kinetismus: 100 Years of Electricity in Art includes an essay by Peter Weibel, the author of the exhibition concept, four thematic chapters written by the co-curator Lívia Nolasco-Rózsás as well as descriptions and reproductions of key artworks by artists, such as Mary Ellen Bute, William Kentridge, Christina Kubish, Zdenek Pesanek, Anna Ridler, Nicolas Schöffer, Jeffrey Shaw, Takis, Steina, and Woody Vasulka.

Widely acclaimed for her distinctive visual language, which combines drawing, performance, sculpture, and installation art, Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota (b. 1972 in Osaka, lives and works in Berlin) addresses fundamental human concerns. Creating large-scale thread installations that incorporate a variety of everyday objects and memorabilia, she forms powerful environments that evoke a sense of nostalgia, personal history, and collective memory.The catalogue accompanies the exhibition The Unsettled Soul, the first presentation of the artist in the Czech Republic. In addition to extensive photographic documentation of the exhibition at Kunsthalle Praha, the publication features an essay by Jason Waite discussing Shiota’s early works as well as an interview with the artist conducted by the editor, Christelle Havranek, about her key themes and the creation of the Prague exhibition.