Lennon’s Wall in Prague: 27 artists from all over the world gathered at Kamp, creating a wall of freedom and energy.
the winner of three dozen artists from different corners of the world got down to work on Wednesday at 9:00 o’clock. Velkopřevorské náměstí in Prague 1 was full of activity, colors started to spread, models were laid out… The works combined into one presented the opening of the Wall of Freedom and Energy / Lennon Wall Prague project at 6:30 p.m. Behind him is the artist Pavel Šťastný (57), author and curator of the Civic Forum logo, among other things. He has already changed the shape of the world-famous Lennon Wall twice.
On Wednesday, she spoke Slovak, Danish, German, English, Finnish and a number of other languages. The Czechia was represented by the young artist Charlien, i.e. Lenka Brázdilová (21). Each of the artists had their own vision of how to portray the freedom associated with energy. Blesk interviewed special guests from Ukraine and Norway.
Flowers against war
One of the youngest participants, Viktoriia Savchuk (19), knows the Czechia and its metropolis well. He has been studying graphic design here for the fifth year. “This project is very interesting because of how many people gathered there,” she told Blesku, adding that she had never faced the task of creating a large painting in just one day. Her motive is the war in Ukraine. “In my painting, there will be a destroyed tank under a blue sky, overgrown with sunflowers,” she described during the creation.
Connected by the ocean
Norwegian artist Pippip Fernerová (65) was also in Prague 10 years ago when a flood swept through the city. “It was crazy and I’m thrilled with how Prague looks now, all the renovated historic buildings,” she told Blesku. She likes the wall project for two reasons. “First I like to work in a natural environment, second is the connection of so many artists from many countries.” Life in the oceans became Ferner’s motif. “They are important, they connect us, they give us food, energy and the possibility of movement without borders,” she said.
They will take the wall to the world
The organizers of the event want to treat not only visitors to Prague to works from Kampa. “After the work was revealed, ztake a professional photo. We will then send the photos to the hot air balloon manufacturers, which will create an inflatable Lennon from the same dimensions as the original. With it, we will visit Strasbourg, Paris, Brussels and Luxembourg in October, where it will be inflated and represent the culture of the Czech Republic and the European Union,” Robin Suchánek told Bleska on behalf of the organizers of the cultural producers.
How the Lennon Wall came to be
Where did the connection between legendary Beatles member John Lennon (†40) and Prague come from? In the 1960s, people wrote messages, verses, but also anti-communist slogans on the wall of the Maltese Garden. Even more so after August 1968. In the 1970s, the area was called the Wailing Wall. In the winter of 1980, after the tragic death of the musician, someone created a “tombstone” from an empty stone slab with the inscription “For John W. Lennon”. Although the Beatles never visited Prague, the place is a permanent reminder of the values of freedom and independence of which it was a symbol.
Artists create on the Lennon Wall, November 7, 2019. David Malik
The Lennon Wall. (September 7, 2022)
Author: Blesk: PHOTO: Jiří Koťátko / CNC