Viktorie Macánová & Markéta Špundová - Beránky

Through their Beránky project, the authors highlight the importance of updating traditions and the way society approaches them. Easter customs and activities such as decorating sponge cakes in a shape of a lamb and weaving braided Easter whips with pom-poms have the potential to bring us together, regardless of our origins, beliefs and gender. However, we need to approach them in such a way that they are not just meaningless gestures that are automatically passed on from one generation to the next. Instead, they should respond to the events and demands of the times and thus become progressive.

 

By transforming these festive activities, Easter and its customs can remain alive, and we will not feel pressured to fulfill certain roles that these festivals usually impose on us. The exhibition playfully proposes new forms of familiar customs. Using exaggeration and humor, it allows us to approach the subject in a critical and detached way, giving us the space to imagine new forms of traditions that build on those deeply rooted in our culture while also addressing our personal needs. In this way, the project suggests ways to move away from the machismo or sexism that can be associated with this celebration. Beránky are ornate, bold, playful, and non-conformist.