Havel's Place

Havel's Place is a public art project, which creates a series of memorial places dedicated to the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel. The places consist of two garden chairs around a round table, usually with a tree going through its middle.

Origins

The original idea for Havel's Place came from Petr Gandalovič, the Czech Ambassador to the United States. He invited Bořek Šípek, an architect and designer, to create a piece of public art to represent Havel and his democratic views. Šípek had overseen a decade-long renovation of the interior of Prague Castle as President Havel's Head Architect in the 1990s, and made a number of artworks for his close friend. In the 2008 documentary about Havel, Citizen Havel, by Pavel Koutecký and Miroslav Janek, the President stated that he would like people to subconsciously connect his person with Bořek Šípek's design and art.

Šípek came up with a design symbolising "Democratic Debate", comprising two metal garden chairs placed around a table around a linden tree, the national tree of the Czech Republic. His idea was to create a gathering place in a public space to promote dialogue, discussion and freedom of speech. Bořek Šípek named the installation "Democracy Talks" and described it as "a place where people can meet and exercise their freedom of speech in a democratic dialogue with others".

Tomáš Halík, a close friend of Havel, told Czech Radio on 5 October 2013 that "the bench with the two chairs symbolises the willingness to sit down at a table and talk. That is, in my opinion, another important message left by Václav Havel: Even as people of different opinions, different political beliefs and different religions, it is still immensely important to sit down at a table and talk to one another in search for the truth."[1]

Partner cities

Havel's place in University of South Bohemia

The first Havel's Place was installed in the grounds of Georgetown University in Washington D.C on 2 October 2013,[2] with the support of Georgetown University, the Czech Embassy, Václav Havel Library and American Friends of Czech Republic. It was dedicated by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Dagmar Havlová, Havel's widow.[3]

The first "Havel's Place" in Europe was installed in St. Patrick's Park in Dublin, Ireland on Human Rights Day, 2013 (10 December) by the Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisin Quinn and Karel Schwarzenberg Havel's former Chancellor.[4] The Dublin project was conceived and promoted by Art for Amnesty founder Bill Shipsey.

"Espai Havel" ("Havel's Place" in Catalan) was dedicated in Barcelona by the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, and Karel Schwarzenberg on 15 February 2014 in the Parc de la Ciutadella beside the Catalan Parliament building.[5]

On May 1, 2014 the fourth Havel's Place was dedicated in Maltese Square in Havel's home town of Prague.[6]

On June 11, 2014 the fifth Havel's Place was unveiled in the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, as part of an international project of public places dedicated to the late Czech president.[7]

On September 27, 2014 the sixth 'Havel's Place' was unveiled on the Campus of Venice International University, San Servolo Island. Venice. Ambassador Umberto Vattani, President of Venice International University; Petr Burianek, Czech Ambassador to Italy; Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, Giorgio Boatto; Professor Agar Brugiavini, the Dean of Venice International University, Jorgensen; Bill Shipsey of Art for Amnesty; and Bořek Šípek were all present.[8]

On October 4, 2014, the 7th Havel's Place was unveiled in front of the café at the Municipal Library in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. The creation of a Havel's Place in Hradec Králové was initiated by deputy mayor Josef Krofta.[9]

In November 2014, two Havel's Places were unveiled to honour the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. The 8th Havel's Place was unveiled on November 6 at Oxford University on the banks of the River Cherwell.[10] The 9th, at The Hague, November 8, at Lange Voorhout, by: Jozias van Aarsten, Mayor of The Hague; H.E. Jaroslav Horák, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Netherlands; Eduard Nazarski, Netherlands Amnesty International Director; and Bořek Šípek.[11]

The next Havel's Place is scheduled to be dedicated in Brussels.

References

  1. ↑ "Halík: Je dobře, že je to lavička, a ne bronzová socha...". Czech Radio (in Czech). 5 October 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "Georgetown Dedicates Memorial to the Late Václav Havel". Georgetown University. 3 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Malek, Fred (2 October 2013). "Honoring Václav Havel - a man who should inspire all Americans". Fox News. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  4. ↑ "Havel's Place in Dublin".
  5. ↑ "El Parc de la Ciutadella acull un espai d’homenatge a Václav Havel". beteve.cat (in Catalan). 15 February 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "Václav Havel gets his 'Place' in Prague". The Prague Post. Archived from the original on 2014-05-14.{deadlink}}
  7. ↑ "Ceremonial unveiling Havel's Place in České Budějovice". Vaclav Havel Library. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  8. ↑ Zane, Nereo (30 September 2014). "Havel's Place: resoconto fotografico". vogaveneta.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Hradec Králové". Vaclav Havel Library. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Sametový den na Oxfordu: Havel dostal lavičku, Halík posluchárnu". ceskatelevize.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Kunstwerk Vaclav Havel’s Place onthuld (fotoserie)". 8 November 2014.
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