Let’s continue our walk through EPO1 Gallery, because there’s still so much more to see beyond the turbine hall.
The third exhibition, titled “We Got a Poacher in Our Territory,” is housed in the smaller space of the former generator room. It’s a group show of younger artists, curated by Petr Hájek. The unifying theme revolves around shadowy, marginal figures: poachers, drunks, sex workers, mythological ferrymen, and rulers of the underworld. Visiting exhibitions like this while you study Czech can enrich your vocabulary and give you new cultural insights.
“The theme of underground characters—those who live on society’s edge, in a kind of symbolic underworld—runs throughout.”
Climb upstairs and you’ll discover the permanent exhibition “Fresh Power,” which presents the themes and motifs of the youngest generation of Czech sculptors. These are works the gallery has acquired for its collection. You’ll also get to admire a range of original industrial machines, many of which house or interact playfully with the exhibited artworks.
In the engine room, don’t miss the striking exhibition “The Power Plant Boilerman” by Jiří Surůvka—an artist, performer, and unmistakable bohemian from Ostrava. For students taking Czech lessons, exhibitions like this can be a fun and inspiring way to practice the Czech language outside the classroom.
“The artist sets up a unique dialogue between anti-war appeal, social criticism, and his unmistakable humor.”
The gallery is open from Friday to Sunday and hosts two main exhibition blocks each year—one in summer and one in winter.
For me, the scale and quality of EPO1 make it a true revelation in the context of Czech art. And if your Czech isn’t perfect yet and you’re not quite comfortable venturing outside Prague, don’t worry: the reception staff speak English, and the exhibition labels and curatorial texts are available in English as well. Still, speaking at least a little Czech will make your visit even more rewarding. This place is absolutely worth a trip on its own. It’s a brilliant window into contemporary Czech visual art!
