Šťastní a veselí

The project by Kateřina Šedá (1977), created for the 30th anniversary of Kutná Hora’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, will—like her previous projects (Bedřichovice nad Temží, UNES-CO, Brnox, etc.)—operate on the boundary between public space art and social architecture.

Through her projects, Kateřina Šedá highlights the state of apathy in society; people, often overwhelmed by daily responsibilities, tend to become resigned, and capturing their attention and free time requires real effort. The most effective approach is to use something bold—something that surprises the public and shakes them out of their daily lethargy.

The artist works with and communicates directly with the local community, which she already approached this August while working on site in Kutná Hora. The main aim of the project, which will take place during the Advent season next year, is to disrupt the usual holiday routines and offer a new and surprising dimension of tradition. This large-scale participatory project will gradually seek to activate diverse groups of residents and bring them together through a shared activity in which they will naturally take part. The goal is not to replace traditional city Christmas celebrations, but rather to significantly complement them and give them a new layer of meaning.