Signal Festival takes over Prague Castle: Video mapping and installations turn the Prague Castle District into an art zone.
For the first time, Signal Festival will transform Prague Castle into a projection area and gallery zone. From October 10 to 13, 2024, one of the two festival routes will lead through the Prague Castle District, while the second route features works by renowned Czech and international artists in the heart of Prague. Titled Ecosystems II: Quest, the twelfth edition will showcase 22 installations, including seven exclusive to the Gallery Zone. Highlights include Filip Hodas’s video mapping at Archbishop's Palace, Jiří Příhoda’s monumental sculptures at Sternberg Palace, UVA’s kinetic pendulum project at Kunsthalle Praha, and Quayola’s sound projection at CAMP.
In October, Signal Festival invites visitors to explore two routes that take them through well-known and lesser-known parts of Prague. The first route, a festival premiere, will bring Prague Castle to life for the very first time. "Signal Festival has long aspired to transform the historically and architecturally unique space of Prague Castle, and after twelve years, this dream has become a reality. This year, we are proud to present installations and projections within the galleries we collaborate with," says Martin Pošta, Director of Signal Festival. "Prague Castle is open to a variety of cultural and artistic events, including the Signal Festival. Through our cooperation, visitors will literally see selected parts of the Castle in a new light," adds Veronika Wolf, Programme and Cultural Director of the Office of the President of the Republic.
Ecosystems II: Quest
The Prague Castle District route begins at the Prague Castle Riding Hall and continues through the palaces on Hradčany Square, then through the South Gardens, which will be open exclusively in the evenings for the festival, ending at the Kunsthalle Praha gallery. At Sternberg Palace, visitors will encounter works by one of the most prominent contemporary Czech artists, Jiří Příhoda. His dynamic projection, Capriccio, uses artificial intelligence to evoke the painting techniques of Renaissance masters. Additionally, an experimental abode named Karbola will give the impression of an alien ship landing in the palace garden. Czech 3D artist and graphic designer Filip Hodas, known for his viral work, has created a layered video mapping installation titled Eternal Recurrence, tailored specifically for the Archbishop's Palace. This piece narrates a digital saga of the origin and evolution of life forms. London-based studio United Visual Artists (UVA), a leading force in the digital media world, will present Strange Attractions at Signal Festival and Kunsthalle Praha, combining kinetic pendulums with a multimedia installation.
The second route will take visitors through digital and creative culture hotspots in the Old Town and central Prague. The façade of the Municipal Library on Mariánské náměstí will transform into an oceanic depth with the video mapping installation The Rhythm of the Ocean, accompanied by music from five-time Grammy nominee Suzanne Ciani. This visual spectacle is the creation of the Spanish-Danish duo Desilence. The hidden Baroque refectory of the Dominican Convent will host Silent Echoes, a sound installation by sound art pioneer Bill Fontana that promises to be breathtaking. Fontana, who has installed works at iconic sites worldwide, such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Arc de Triomphe, and Big Ben, brings to this installation the sounds of Notre Dame Cathedral bells and a glacial cave in the Dachstein rock massif. This piece is a collaboration with Ars Electronica. The journey through central Prague ends at CAMP with a series of videos titled Effets de Soir. The title refers to a natural phenomenon observed at dusk and dawn when light, shadows, and warm and cool tones blend. Italian artist Quayola captures this captivating transition using new technological tools, drawing inspiration from artists like Monet and Van Gogh.
Signal Festival continues its long-standing partnerships, with Mercedes-Benz presenting Aura, an installation at Klementinum that combines animations with electric vehicles. It is brought to life by designer Václav Mlynář, Monument Office, Signal Creative studios, and lighting designer Lukáš Dřevjaný. The data totem Audire Fluctus, created by Kryštof Brůha in collaboration with PrusaLab, will visualize the technological activity at the National Theatre's Piazzetta.
The festival’s paid Gallery Zone will feature seven unique locations across Prague, with tickets available for presale.
Signal Forum
For the first time, Signal Festival will be complemented by a new educational and networking platform, the Signal Forum conference. This new European creative forum, organized in collaboration with the Slovak festival Sensorium, will take place on October 11 and 12 at CAMP in Prague. Attendees interested in 21st-century trends can choose from a range of lectures, workshops, and other activities.
Signal Forum will bring 15 internationally recognized speakers, including 11 recognized experts, such as astrobiologist from NASA Michaela Musilová, founder of Arts at CERN Ariane Koek, the performative pair of programmers Foxdog Studios and the Parisian creative studio Superbien.
The conference’s main theme is connected to the twelfth edition of the Signal Festival. This year’s edition is titled Ecosystems 02: Quest and is divided into four parts: Machinery Missionaries, Deep Travellers, Into the Universe, and Play. Guests will engage with the themes through additional activities such as Meet Market.
Artists
Seohyo (KOR), Filip Hodas (CZ), Jiří Přihoda (CZ), Michael Bielický & Kamila B. Richter (CZ), SpY (ES), United Visual Artists (GB), Cao Yuxi (CHN), Desilence (SP), Laterna magika (CZ), Bill Fontana (US), Jana Bernartová (CZ), Kryštof Brůha (CZ), Quayola (IT), Petr Vacek & Adam Cigler (CZ), Monument Office & Signal Creative (CZ), Jan Hladil & Jakub Strach (CZ), Karel Karlos Šimek, Ester Valtrová, Kateřina Letáková & Matěj Lindner (CZ)
Conference speakers
Foxdog Studios (UK), Michaela Musilová (SK), Alexander Scholz (DE), Michela Magas (CRO), Quayola (IT), Irini Mirena Papadimitriou (GR), Superbien: Carlos Bremond (FR), Mark H. Geary (US/ UK), Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm (DK), Saša Spačal (SL), Seetal Solanki (UK), Georgina Voss (UK), Oficina: Marek Cimbálník & Jan Netušil (CZ), Xin Liu (China/US), Ariane Koek (UK)
Signal Festival curator: Pavel Mrkus
Signal Forum curator: Lucia Dubačová (SK) and Irini Mirena Papadimitriou (GR)
Visual identity: Jan Brož and Jan Novák
