Art and Nature: National Gallery Opens Two New Spring Exhibitions

The National Gallery in Prague has opened two spring exhibitions that examine the evolving relationship between humans and the natural world.

The first, titled Silent Spring: Art and Nature 1930–1970, is on view until August 31 on the first floor of the east wing at Veletržní Palace. Through more than 100 works, the exhibition challenges the idea of nature as a passive backdrop to human life — instead urging visitors to rethink our impact on the environment.

“This exhibition raises a crucial question: Are human culture and the natural world inherently at odds?” says curator Eva Skopalová. The show draws exclusively from the gallery’s own collections and brings together both historical and modern perspectives.

Visitors will encounter works by established 20th-century artists such as Josef Šíma, Toyen, Jindřich Štyrský, and František Muzika, alongside contemporary artists including Anna Hulačová, Eliška Konečná, and Marie Tučková. The exhibition builds on the legacy of the 1962 environmental science book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, which sparked a global environmental movement.

Running in parallel is a second show with a striking title: The Heart of a Giraffe in Captivity is Twelve Kilos Lighter. This original project by acclaimed Czech artist Eva Koťátková is hosted in the Small Hall of Veletržní Palace and runs through July 27.

“This project is open-ended. It’s just one chapter in the giraffe’s ongoing story,” says Koťátková, who represented the Czech Republic at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024.

The exhibition is based on the true story of Lenka the Giraffe, brought from Kenya to the Prague Zoo in 1954. She died just two years later. Her preserved body was displayed in the National Museum until 2000. Koťátková transforms Lenka’s fate into a deeply personal and political statement, inviting visitors to reflect on how humans treat animals and the environments they control.

Adding to the immersive nature of the exhibition are two live performances that will take place during its run, giving audiences a chance to engage with the themes in a more dynamic way.

In addition to these two main shows, the National Gallery is also presenting Touches of Presence – Artists of the UB 12 Creative Group, on the second floor of the Veletržní Palace until June 26.

The exhibition highlights the work of Adriena Šimotová, Vlasta Prachatická, and Věra Janoušková, members of the post-war avant-garde group UB 12, known for pushing the boundaries of Czech art in the second half of the 20th century.

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