Otakar Švec: Artist Talk

2012, Manuscript performed by an actor, english, 30min

This scripted public lecture allowed the socialist realist sculptor Otakar Švec to present  his work in front of a contemporary audience. Prague-based artist, he created several monuments and sculptures which were exhibited at representative exhibitions around the world. However, Švec is also the artist who was commissioned to realize the largest Stalin representation of all times. Erected just before the death of the “Father of the People”, the statue was blown to smithereens as part of the destalinization of the former USSR. Švec talks about this special moment in history when the artist played such a prominent part in the political sphere and questions the complete inexistence of socialist realist art in the current art system.

Manuscript of the Artist Talk