Josef Klimeš: Balance 21. 10. 2026 – 15. 11. 2026
Curator: Ludmila Sedlák Mojžíšová
Josef Klimeš’s monumental sculpture Balance overlooked Prague’s Barrandov Bridge for decades. This exhibition at Kobka 17 traces the sculpture’s journey, from initial designs, scale models and the sculpture’s construction, its place in the city amid the evolving perspectives of the general public, to its ultimate collapse in 2026 and the ongoing planning of its restoration.
The exhibition traces the entire process of creating Balance, from the initial ideas and planning through collaboration with the architect Karel Filsak, through the preparation of models and studies, construction of the mould, casting in concrete and the final removal of the mould. It also documents how the sculpture has been perceived over the years, as Balance gradually established itself as a permanent feature of Prague’s skyline and became a source of inspiration for other artists, who depicted and referenced it in their own works.
The collapse of the sculpture raised questions in Prague about our relationship with works of art in public spaces, their protection, memory and the possibility of restoration. The exhibition encompasses the ongoing effort to reconstruct Balance, as well as related issues of authenticity, materials, authorship, and what it really means to restore a work that has been part of a living city for decades.
The exhibition also profiles the sculptor, Josef Klimeš, and his major works, including a screening of a new documentary film, Imprints of Time, in which the sculptor discusses his work while cultural commentator Vladimir 518 situates Klimeš’s oeuvre within the broader cultural and social context.
The programme will include guided tours featuring, amongst others, the sculptor Pavel Karous and Josef Klimeš’s granddaughter, Ludmila Sedlák Mojžíšová.