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Smith College

Publication Date

Spring 2013

Program Name

Czech Republic: Arts and Social Change

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to document the background, events, and cultural significance of Jiří Sozanský’s “Most Project.” There has been little research conducted and critical texts written on the activities of Sozanský in the devastated city of “Old Most,” which has provided me with the opportunity to conduct fieldwork and to work largely with primary sources. This study is focused on working with primary documents, mainly interviews with the artist and viewing the original photographic documentation, in order to understand the purpose and details of Jiří Sozanský and his fellow artists’ artistic work in Most. In order to fully understand the “Most Project” the author conducted a comprehensive research utilizing both primary and secondary sources on the Czech art scene in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. It is essential to situate Sozanský’s “artistic intervention” in the historical and political reality of the time. Through extensive interviews the author uncovers how the “Most Project” was conceived, the logistics of the project, and how the artists came together to create a full installation in the decaying remains of the city of Most. The author uncovers the significance of Sozanský’s “Most Project” within the context of the artist’s career, the city of Most, and the Czech art community.

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | European History | European Languages and Societies

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