Elmgreen & Dragset: READ

The Czech Republic welcomes an innovative cultural event: the artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset present their first exhibition in the country. The exhibition, entitled READ, is a stimulating exploration of the historical and enduring relevance of books, bringing together their works and those of sixty other artists. Hosted at the Kunsthalle Praha, the exhibition transcends decades, geographical regions and artistic movements, creating an engaging narrative that delves into the complex relationship between human beings and books.

Elmgreen & Dragset, known for their thought-provoking and often engaging installations, have created an experience that goes beyond the simple appreciation of art. Incorporating works by various artists, the duo offers a multifaceted perspective on the different ways books have influenced society, transcending time and boundaries.
Designed as a minimalist version of a contemporary public library, the work questions our relationship with books as physical objects and with knowledge in the age of digital media. The title encourages not only reading, but also learning and understanding, such as ‘reading signs’, ‘reading a situation’ and ‘reading the room’.

List of exhibited artists: Georges Adéagbo, Saâdane Afif, Meriç Algün, Dotty Attie, Cay Bahnmiller, Olga Balema, Vlastimil Beneš, Barbara Bloom, George Brecht, Marcel Broodthaers, Pavel Büchler, Sophie Calle, Thomas Cap de Ville, Alejandro Cesarco, The Chicago Center for Caspar David Friedrich Studies, Giorgio de Chirico, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Braco Dimitrijević, Aleksandra Domanović, Emory Douglas, Elmgreen & Dragset, Robert Filliou, Ken Friedman, Kasia Fudakowski, Simon Fujiwara, Dora García, Isa Genzken, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster & Paul B. Preciado, Tomislav Gotovac, Dick Higgins, Vladimír Houdek, IRWIN, František Janoušek, Allan Kaprow, Tarik Kiswanson, Milan Knížák, Běla Kolářová, Jiří Kolář, Tony Lewis, Tom Lubbock, Vlado Martek, Endre Nemes, Nam June Paik, Géza Perneczky, Zhang Peili, Kirsten Pieroth, Katarina Poliačiková, Florian Pumhösl, Chiharu Shiota, Marek Schovánek, Kurt Schwitters, Slavs and Tatars, Nedko Solakov, Jindřich Štyrský, Gert & Uwe Tobias, Endre Tót, Jaro Varga, Wolf Vostell, Peter Weibel, Ruth Wolf-Rehfeldt