March 27 – June 28, 2026
National Gallery Prague, Trade Fair Palace, Dukelských hrdinů 47, Prague 7, mezzanine
Opening reception: March 26, 2026 from 7 PM
Opening hours: Tue–Sun, 10 AM–6 PM
Admission: free
Accompanying program during the exhibition opening at the public NGP opening:
Beata Kotrášová – performance Apocalypse Deluxe
Starting at 8 PM, Small Hall of the Trade Fair Palace
Often discussed and judged by older generations, Generation Z—people in their twenties—are growing up in a world shaped by major changes and rapid technological development. How do they perceive this time and the events around them, and how do they respond to the realities of the present? Developed in collaboration between the National Gallery Prague and UMPRUM, the exhibition UMPRUM Biennale: Generation Z presents a cross-section of work by students across all studios and disciplines of the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague.
“Biennial exhibitions have a long-standing tradition at UMPRUM. Each of the last six editions has been defined by a distinctive curatorial concept reflecting current social issues. The aim of these exhibitions is not only to present the artistic work of students, but also to offer insight into their thinking and their ways of seeing the world,” explains UMPRUM Rector Prof. Jindřich Vybíral.
The exhibition UMPRUM Biennale: Generation Z, curated by Michal Novotný and Tereza Vernerová Volná, reflects the generational conditioning, distinct experiences, capabilities, and concerns of young people. “We perceive a characteristic interconnection between the physical and virtual worlds—spheres that were once clearly separate. In the works of the youngest artists, authenticity intertwines with self-stylisation, the desire to be seen with the need to protect privacy, pragmatism with nostalgia. This multiplicity of often contradictory feelings and perceptions is an integral part of their world,” the curators Michal Novotný and Tereza Vernerová Volná explain.
“The mission of the National Gallery Prague is to preserve the legacy of the past while creating space for the presentation of contemporary art. The project UMPRUM Biennale: Generation Z allows us to welcome voices that are only just entering the art scene and to place them in dialogue with the past. It is precisely in these encounters—between generations, experiences, and different ways of perceiving the world—that an energy emerges, one that helps shape a clearer picture of the art scene and transforms any museum into a truly 21st-century institution,” says Olga Kotková, Director of the Collection of Old Masters and Acting Director General of the National Gallery Prague.
The exhibition presents work across the full spectrum of disciplines and media taught at the school, including architecture, design, graphic arts, fine and applied arts, as well as art theory. Prominent themes include an increased focus on the body and vulnerability, diverse strategies of identity formation, an emphasis on care, the coexistence of human and non-human entities, and the search for safe shared spaces. The works are permeated by an engagement with digital imagery—its tools and visual language.
The collection of works installed along the mezzanine gallery of the Trade Fair Palace is unified by an architectural design by UMPRUM Architecture Studio I graduates Jakub Herza and Magdalena Uhlířová. The works are systematically arranged by discipline, while the architectural concept serves primarily to give each piece space to stand out. Although the installation is conceived on a generous scale, it is designed with sustainability in mind, aiming to avoid generating the kind of new waste commonly produced by cultural operations. All materials used therefore come from the resources of the school or the National Gallery Prague.
An integral part of the project, supported by J&T Banka, is a series of guided tours led by the curatorial team. A comprehensive catalogue accompanies the exhibition, presenting the individual works in detail while exploring the specific characteristics of the youngest generation’s practice, its relationship to technology, and evolving modes of thinking. In addition to the curators, contributions include essays by social anthropologist Marie Heřmanová and art theorist Tomáš Samek.
The ambition of the exhibition project “UMPRUM Biennale: Generation Z”, developed through the collaboration of both institutions, is to help bridge generational divides that continue to deepen in a time of accelerated social and technological change. It seeks to bring the work of the youngest generation closer to audiences and to affirm the significance of its perspective within the contemporary creative landscape.
The exhibition will be on view until June 28th.
Dates of guided exhibition tours:
March 31, 2026 at 4:30 PM
April 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM
April 21, 2026 at 4:30 PM
May 6, 2026 at 4:30 PM
May 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM
May 26, 2026 at 4:30 PM
June 3, 2026 at 4:30 PM
June 9, 2026 at 4:30 PM – guided tour in English
June 17, 2026 at 4:30 PM
June 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM – guided tour in sign language
June 28, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Workshop for children (ages 6+)
April 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Creative playroom for children (ages 1.5–5)
April 14, 2026 at 10:30 AM
April 14, 2026 at 1:30 PM
April 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
April 15, 2026 at 10:30 AM
April 15, 2026 at 1:30 PM
April 15, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Artists: Marek Bulíř, Anna Černíková, Mariana Chavíková, Klára Drevenák, Marie Holá, Johana Hnízdilová, Lizaveta Hrydziushka, Karla Kislingerová, Agáta Klimtová, Vanda Kotradyová, Johana Koudelová, Markéta Královcová, Leona Krlínová, Ondřej Kubeš, Adam Kvaček, Barbora Lovecká, Radim Pergl, Anastázie Rainischová, Reyhaneh Rejabi, Eva Rotreklová, Anna Rusínová, Michal Tůma, Hana Turnovská, Adam Varga, Adéla Vavříková, Tomáš Višňovský, and KTDU team project.
Curators: Tereza Vernerová Volná, and Michal Novotný.
Graphic design and typesetting: Jiří Macků, and Daniel Vojtíšek.
Exhibition Design: Jakub Herza, and Magdalena Uhlířová.
Photography: Eda Babák, Viktorie Macánová, and Lukáš Skála.
Production: Šárka Váňová, and Sofie Artemeva.
Exhibition installation: Extended
Technical installation: Michal Pustějovský
Acknowledgements to partners: J&T Banka, a.s., FUJIFILM, OAKCENT
The exhibition is held in collaboration with the National Gallery Prague
