Doors Open- Video installation in front of the New Liben synagogue

October 19-21, 2021 

​

For many years the New Liběn synagogue at Palmovka was a central hub for the Jewish community in Liběn. Not only was it important from a religious perspective, but also served as a meeting point for the whole community. Today Palmovka is a crossroads- for travel, social interaction, cultural interchange.

​

Doors Open is an attempt to bring back to life a community that is long gone. Five open doors, located in the park in front of the synagogue, represent gates to the past. Inside, people living at the beginning of the 20th century go about their everyday lives- visualized thanks to archival film footage. These figures from the past will mingle with the present-day inhabitants of Prague. The past and the present are connected in order to reflect on the contemporary meaning of “community”, its current state, and its possible potential.

​

This installation uses archival film footage from the 1920s and 1930s in Prague, sourced from the National Film Archive (nfa.cz)

​

Authors: Kristyna Balaban and Adam Široký
Sound: Kryštof Koenigsmark

​

Organized by: spolky Krajinou přílivu, 8jinak! a Sdružení Serpens
With support from: Národního filmového archivu, Dilia, Agosto Foundation, Hlavního města Prahy, Ministerstva kultury ČR, Státního fondu kultury ČR a MČ Prahy 8