What remains of the revolution? And what—or whom—do we need to defend today? Episode 8 of the series STÁTKY invites us to rekindle our faith in systemic change. Join Ester Hotová and Robert Vlček as we “squat” the Councilors’ Club for a day with utopian thinking!

You can look forward to a guided tour of the exhibition, meetings with collectives, a reading by Radek Wollmann, and screenings of the films Games of Dust and 161 > 88.

This event follows up on the multimedia exhibition The Velvet Revolution Did Not End the Struggle for a Better World held at the Sibiř Gallery in 2023. As part of the series STÁTKY, this exhibition is being updated and confronted with the official stance of the Brno City Council. Where have the ideals of the Velvet Revolution disappeared from the Czech political mainstream? And if it seems impossible to bring the interests of ordinary people into the political arena, is it possible to reclaim that space?

Ester Hotová explores both socially engaged and personal themes in her artistic practice, utilizing media ranging from illustration and comics to work with animal carcasses. She is active at the Bio Sibiř cultural center, where she also co-founded the off-space Galerie Sibiř, serving as its curator.

Robert Vlček is a longtime civic activist who has lived in Brno for nearly a quarter of a century. During his time here, he has worked in social services, multinational corporations, and the nonprofit sector, and has now settled in the cultural sphere. Since arriving in Brno, he has been involved in activist collectives such as Limity jsme my, Food Not Bombs, NESEHNUTÍ, and, most recently, the Tenants’ Initiative. He also provides training for activist collectives and nonprofit organizations. Like Ester, he has been a member of the Sibiř cultural center since its inception, and in recent years has been largely responsible for its operations and programming.

More information here.