In this case, the link between the worlds of art and technology has a symbolic dimension. Jan Barta is a descendant of the eminent Czech inventor and graduate of the Prague University of Technology, František Křižík, whose bust stands by the main entrance to the FEL building. Křižík himself became famous for his ability to combine the technological innovations of his time with the aesthetics of light and space, which is fully evident in the case of the well-known light fountain that bears his name.
“Technology and art have more in common than meets the eye. Both are based on the ability to view the world from a different angle and not to be afraid to explore unknown worlds. I am delighted that Jan Barta’s collection will bring this experience directly into the spaces through which our students and staff pass every day, and that CTU is becoming a place where technical thinking and art come together quite naturally,” says CTU Rector Michal Pěchouček.
By incorporating the exhibition into its premises, CTU joins the ranks of leading foreign universities, on whose campuses the study of technical and natural sciences has traditionally been intertwined with the arts. The main motivation for the collection’s owner to lend it was to provide students not only with specialist knowledge but also with exposure to the art world, and to help them develop other aspects of their personalities.
“New solutions are often paved by the ability to look at a problem from an unexpected perspective, to connect seemingly unrelated ideas, and to go beyond the boundaries of one’s own narrow specialisation. This is precisely why creative thinking and the courage to embrace the ambiguity of the subject under investigation are so important to science. After all, there are many people amongst leading scientists who are also involved in the arts,” says Jan Barta, adding: “I share CTU’s ambition to become an institution which, alongside academic excellence, also creates ample scope for openness and interdisciplinary interaction.”
The collection of artworks on display deliberately includes artists from several generations. Visitors to the exhibition will find paintings by Magdalena Jetelová (*1946), Jan Hísek (*1965), Krištof Kintera (*1973), Patrik Hábl (*1975), Lukáš Karbus (*1981), Radka Bodzewicz (*1991), Ester Knapová (*1993) and Anna Ruth (*1994).
The exhibition, which opened on Tuesday 29 September in the presence of most of the exhibiting artists and many distinguished guests, will run for approximately one year and is open to the academic community and all CTU staff. The exhibition also includes a catalogue of the paintings and a navigation system, developed by experts from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEL) at CTU, which guides visitors through the exhibition.
