Course on the History of Neo-Avant-Garde 1965-1980

A lecture series exploring the diverse networks of neo-avant-garde art from 1965 to 1980 through specific stories, works, and events. The course explains in accessible terms what artistic transformation the movement pursued, which of its visions remained utopian and which were realized. It is designed for both beginners and advanced enthusiasts of neo-avant-garde practice and its Czechoslovak manifestations in international context.

The course features original artworks and authentic archival materials, demonstrating the relationship between medium, materiality, documentation of ephemeral works, and distribution methods of neo-avant-garde art - aspects that digital reproduction and online presentation cannot fully convey.

Course Programme:

ADDRESSING JIŘÍ VALOCH: ARTIST, CURATOR, COLLECTOR
The archive, collection, and artistic activity of Jiří Valoch in the context of Czechoslovak and international neo-avant-garde.

BREAKING THE ALPHABET: HISTORY OF CONCRETE POETRY
From the liberation of words from sentences to experiments with letters, images, and meaning.

WHOSE CONCEPTUAL ART?
The Global South and Eastern Europe as a challenge to the Western narrative of conceptual art history.

ADRIENA ŠIMOTOVÁ: PRINT, PROCESS, PAPER
The theme of print and process in work with paper and drawing. The lecture will take the form of a guided tour of the exhibition.

GALLERY IN A MAILBOX: HISTORY OF MAIL ART
Art in envelopes, correspondence, and international networks as an alternative to traditional gallery operations.

WHEN "AI" TAUGHT DRAWING: 1968 AND THE BEGINNINGS OF COMPUTER ART
Experiments at the intersection of art, science, and technology at a time when computers were far from being a common part of everyday life.

INSIDE THE ARCHIVE: NEO-AVANT-GARDE UP CLOSE
A visit to the archive and collection of Jiří Valoch with a presentation of original works, artist books, and period documentation.

Discounted tickets for the entire course and individual lectures are available through GoOut.cz, the MG website, or at the Pražákův palác box office.