Alena Drahokoupilová
area: Curator, Photography
Key Facts
nationality
Czech Republicarea
Curator, Photographyresidence
Dresden (GER)recommending institution
BMEIAtime period
August 2020 - September 2020since 2010 cooperation with the project space bautzner69 Dresden
2012—2014 curator at Czech Centre Berlin
2016 assistant curator at Dresden State Art Collections
since 2018 cooperation with The Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden
CURATED EXHIBITIONS
2018 »Once upon a river« for bautzner69 Dresden (D)
2017 »Schauseite« for The Regional Art Gallery Liberec (CZ)
2015 »Hast du von Bergen geträumt? IV« for bautzner69 Dresden (D)
2014 »Gaze, Rohre und Objekte« for Czech Centre Berlin (D)
»Zdálo se ti o horách? III« for Czech Centre Prague (CZ)
»Wenn kaputt wir Spass« for Trafo Gallery, Prague (CZ)
»Hast du von Bergen geträumt? II« for Czech Centre Berlin (D)
2013 »Hast du von Bergen geträumt?« for Kulturrathaus Dresden (D)
»Offprint« for Czech Centre Berlin (D)
2012 »Play Nature Work Future« for Czech Centre Berlin (D)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2015 »Du bist voll in Ordnung« K18 Gallery, Maribor (SLO)
2012 »CДAЁM KOMHATЫ. БAHЯ. Let Rooms. Sauna.« Noiva, Český Těšín (CZ)
2010 »Tomorrow Afternoon« MeetFactory, Kostka Gallery, Prague (CZ)
»KUT.I.LOVE (D.I.Y.)« Supermarket wc Gallery, Karlovy Vary (CZ)
2007 »Úklid chodby« 35M2 Gallery, Prague (CZ)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)
2016 »Dresden Contemporary Art Preview« Frieseneck am Neumarkt, Dresden (D)
2015 »Kukačka – Mezi banalitou a zázrakem« Ostrava (CZ)
»#TABS – Temporary Artist’s Book Shop« Lage Egal, Berlin (D)
2014 »Forum Junge Kunst« Städtische Galerie im Leeren Beutel, Regensburg (D)
2013 »Fórum mladé umení« Municipal Gallery Pilsen, Pilsen (CZ)
»Drahokoupilová, Gaisbacher, Vanis« Mastul, Berlin (D)
2012 »Vanitas-Räume, bewaldet« Kunstfoyer im Kulturrathaus, Dresden (D)
In my practice I’m particularly interested in urban space, modern architecture and postwar modernism. The main strategies of my artistic work are dokumentation and intervention. During my stay in Vienna I’m particularyparticularly interested in Alterlaa housing estate and architecture of public swimming-pools.
Bath City Vienna
The first of the public „Volksbäder“ (municipal baths) was opened already in 1887, and in „Red Vienna“ further public baths alongside the big public hoursing buildings were constructed, as well as some important outdoor pools (e.g. Kongressbad, 1928) and numerous open-air pools for kids. Today, under the management of the City of Vienna, there are 10 summer baths, 5 indoor swimming pools, 7 combined baths, and 11 family baths, further baths are run by private companies.
„Holidays at home“ was the motto of summer 2020. Accordingly, the Viennese baths have reacted exemplary and admission for the whole summer season was reduced to 3€ for adults for a day ticket which made the baths available to a broad range of society. Before my arrival in August, I had already done research on the topic of baths in the City of Vienna and decided, after visiting a few open-air swimming pools, to develop an artistic photo series. As a former amateur swimmer I have a very positive relationship to swimming since my childhood and try to visit local in- and outdoor pools whenever I am abroad. I was impressed by the variety and accessibility of the baths of the City of Vienna..
As a photographer I was mainly interested in architecture, equipment and its details, as well as the traces of time, wear and tear and a few, often accidental still lifes. Together with my family I have visited the following baths: Kongressbad, Strandbad Gänsehäufel, Ottakringer Bad, Döblinger Bad, Stadionbad (Bundesbad) and theFamilienbad Hofferplatz.
In the beginning of September 2020 I have contected the Magistratsabteilung 44 - Bäder (magistrale department 44 - Baths) and easily got permission to photograph before the opening hours in the Kogressbad and the Gänsehäufel. Also I could take photos for 2 hours in each outdoor bath without being disturbed. The photographs of the seemingly abandoned baths refer through subtle details to its visitors, the red and white tapes on the contrary refer to the special circumstances of last summer.
This series is to me the beginning of a bigger work which I would like to continue in the next years.