Page 17 - Chytrý zpravodaj - Praha 3 05/2022

Kacha Kastner: One does not have Dialog

to understand everything at once

She has chosen Žižkov for her life as well as for the
Hunt Kastner exhibition hall, where the successful
gallerist presents top works of modern art.

Author Where are you from? One might argue that he simply does not
Anežka Hesová she emigrated in 1948. I visited Prague for the first Yes, a lot of people say that contemporary art is
understand it.
I was born in California, but my mother is Czech,
hard to understand. But this is not about seeing
time in 1970 and then, after the revolution, I decid-
something at first glance. After all, this is a char-
ed to move here.
acteristic of contemporary art that it brings some-
At first, you opened the Hunt Kastner gallery thing new that we have to learn, something we
together with Camille Hunt in Holešovice. Why have to think about! I think if someone does not
did you move it to Žižkov then? understand a work of art, they should not be afraid
We needed more space. That was in 2013, so we to ask about it. It is not a shame to let things be
have already been here in Bořivojova street for explained. And I also think that we do not have
nine years. I really love Žižkov, it is my favour- to understand everything at once. Sometimes it
ite district. I have been living in Žižkov for almost takes time. For example, Marcel Duchamp and his
the entire thirty years I have lived in the Czech porcelain urinal signed R. Mutt. At first, no one un-
Republic. In the vicinity, there is the Vinohrady dis- derstood that, but later it became a turning point
trict, which is more bourgeois, and on the contra- in art in the 20th century.
ry, from Bořivojova street downhill there is Žižkov,
which is a little punk now, but historically working How do you manage to give people insight into
class lived here. Such contrast is very interesting. contemporary art?
We try to be willing to help people, for example
And what do you think about a local culture? we organize the first Thursdays, but on the other
The culture here is quite strong, but lately a lot hand, we are just a small private gallery and this
of cultural enterprises have had to close because is not our main mission. We are here more likely
of the coronavirus pandemic, and not all of them for people who already know something about art.
have survived. I am really sorry about the closed There is also an opinion that we should make art
galleries, because two years ago, this district for everyone, but that is not our job. We focus on
started to become a unique gallery district. There cutting-edge art, on support for contemporary art-
are Nevan Contemporary, Nau Gallery, 35m2 or ists and new practices.
Atrium and other really beautiful premises. I hope
that new initiatives will revive the scene. It is good What do you say to people who do not
for us as well as for artists and for the city if there understand it?
is diversity in our field. One does not have to understand everything. For
example, I do not know a lot about mathematics.
Are you currently collaborating on any project? But that does not mean I consider it unimportant.
Every first Thursday of the month, we and the Or that mathematicians do not do their work. They
Karlín galleries have extended opening hours, do it. But I just do not understand it.
guided tours, author readings, lectures and oth-
er events. In addition, we do the Neighbourhood An art re use centre was established in Žižkov
Boogie-Woogie, which is a summer festival where last year, where artists can exchange material
we organize events outside the gallery for sever- used. Do you use it?
al days, for example outside on the street or in This is a good deed! We have already given some
shops. A dialogue between contemporary art and things there. When we do exhibitions, we perma-
music will be this year main theme. nently create some stands, pedestals — materi-
als that we will then throw away. And we realize
How do you think about that? that buying these things again is a bad approach.
When you look at the older generation of artists, Therefore, we are happy when someone else can
they used music in a little different way. In the use them.
past, art genres were more separate. Nowadays,
I can see that the youngest generation of artists is
blurring the boundaries.
katherine “kacha” kastner
Is it your goal to make the public more She was born on 26 April 1960 in the United States, where
interested in contemporary art? her mother emigrated from communist Czechoslovakia.
Yes and no. I understand that it is probably not for After the Velvet Revolution, she moved to Prague where
everyone, but it makes me happy when someone she and Camille Hunt later founded the Hunt Kastner pri-
walks around and notices a work of art, stops and vate gallery of modern art. Today, it is located in Bořivojova
something appeals to him. People should have the street in Žižkov and represents novices as well as renowned
— 17
opportunity to come across the art. artists on the Czech and also on international level.