MeetFactory

When the famous Czech artist David Černý returned from the US to the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution, he wanted to establish a non-profit international multi-genre cultural center.

In 2001, David Černý established MeetFactory together with David Koller (rock musician) and Alice Nellis (film and theater director). MeetFactory originally went to a former ham factory in Prague Holešovice, and “Meet” is a bi-meanings that also denotes meat.

However, floods occurred in 2002, and MeetFactory had to move from a former ham factory to a former glass factory that had paradoxically broken glass windows and is located in Prague Smíchov, located between an elevated road and a railway line.

During the repairs, a giant heap of suitcases was found. The heap was probably formed by the homeless stealing the trunks at the train station.

The program started after a substantial reconstruction in 2007.

In order for the new MeetFactory building to tell who she is, David Černý has created a landmark: two shiny red cars hanging on a wall like chewing gums on iron nail, which is longer than one meter.

Beside the building there is a torso of a pink tank, which ironically refers to the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968.

David Cerny says “MeetFactory is a cultural self-service”. The program consists of a gallery of fine arts, music, theater, film, photography, literature, performance and the artist-in-residence program. MeetFactory also hosts conversion art projects that others have refused.

MeetFactory regularly initiates open atelier days, during which visitors can freely stream through in the ateliers and discuss with residents during their production, overcoming the boundary between the passive viewer and the active artist.

MeetFactory has 15 studios, which host about 30 visual artists, curators, musicians, theater directors or writers each year. There is interconnection between Czech and foreign artists.

Entrance to exhibitions in the gallery is usually free so that anyone from the street can look at contemporary artworks.

Over the years, MeetFactory hosted artists such as Iede Reckman (NL), Kal Spelletich (USA), or Alexander Haacke and Danielle Picciotto (DE).

In the concert hall, the chairs are placed upside down on the ceiling, so no one can sit on them.

December 11, 2018 a small fire was on the roof of MeetFactory and, according to conspiracy theory, it may have been a secret performance involving unsuspecting firefighters.