Pavel Karous - Ritterzeitgeist

Pavel Karous's exhibition "Ritterzeitgeist" at the Kaplička Gallery is a commentary on the past and future dynamic transformation of Jablonec region. The artistic realisations of the city's public spaces are a reflection of the rich cultural development but also of the turbulent political and economic changes of the region, its ups and downs. Art in public space, especially monuments and memorials, as a barometer, accurately signal the atmosphere of the time. Whether the commissioners of these artefacts in the past were feudal or ecclesiastical powers, the bourgeoisie or the state, the works, in addition to the aesthetic taste and style of the time, always represented their power, political and ideological goals and needs .
Pavel Karous's installation focuses on the transformation of Horní náměstí (Upper Square) in the 20th century, or rather the constant erection and demolition of local monuments, always dedicated to fighters. Whether it was a knight representing "Germanic virtues" during the Nazi era or a Red Army soldier paternalistically protecting Czechoslovakia symbolized by a child. At the same time, the installation makes a statement about the future in an artistic language that draws on the past and the present.