sadness / loneliness / sex / superego / concentration / dream / centre / connection / shadow / fear / encounter / hiding / connection / death /

The exhibition was attended by Josef Bolf, Václav Buriánek, Jiří Černický, Federico Díaz, Ivana Lomová, Michal Nesázal, Petr Nikl, Michal Pěchouček, Viktor Pivovarov, František Skála, Pavel Tichoň, Libuše Vendlová, Kateřina Závodová, Kamila Ženatá.

The authors respond primarily to their own intimate emotional experiences, which they process through paintings, videos, photographs, installations and texts.

The unusual exhibition project Fourteen S was created in cooperation between the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art and the civic association Schrödinger’s Cat, the Czech Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Prague and the Czech Centres. Fourteen artists present fourteen themes affecting human relationships, families, communities and systems that are formally linked by the letter S. The exhibition runs from 23 May to 16 August 2009.

The exhibition is organized on the occasion of a significant event. In May, Prague will host the International Conference of the Group Section of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. The title Bridging Identities captures the main theme of the conference – the search for ways to connect or bridge diverse entities (professional, clinical, ethnic, social and many other groups). This is the first time that a Central European or „former“ Eastern Bloc country is hosting such a meeting. The conference committee, formed by the domestic organizing organization – the Czech Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, decided to implement the Bridging Identities concept also in real time and space. Thus, in this unique project, two worlds meet – the scientific world, exploring and the artistic world, perceiving and expressing, in a common field of themes that significantly permeate our lives. This exhibition, or rather visual project, is therefore an integral part of the conference, and aims to reflect the deep interconnection of cultural and collective psychic processes in contemporary society.

Fourteen artists will present fourteen themes that are formally linked by the letter S. Kamila Ženatá, one of the curators of the exhibition, explains why it is the Fourteen S’s: „It is strange, but many Czech words that begin with the letter „S“ refer to very important themes related to our experience. Out of this large number, Milena Slavicka, the other curator of the exhibition, and I have selected 14 words. The theme of identity, the search for roots, the loss and rediscovery of the meaning of life are very topical in today’s world. Parallel worlds, virtuality, alienation and damaged personal relationships, the impossibility of communication and feelings of abandonment are the pain of our time. Each of the artists got „their“ word from S. It was not a difficult decision, because the work of the artists of the different generations represented is to some extent very close to „their“ S.“ Kamila Ženatá is together together with Milena Slavicka, is not only the curator of the project, but also a member of the preparatory committee of the conference. For many years she has been working with groups of people, she is interested in communication, relationship and group problems. „The topic of identity and the inner world of man is the source of my creative work, so connecting these areas is also my life concept,“ explains Kamila Ženatá.