The Palace of (Leisure) Time: Prague City Gallery opens the season of Troja Château with an exhibition exploring how we spend our free time
Idleness or Nonstop Performance?
Troja Château is transforming into The Palace of (Leisure) Time for this season. This is the name of the exhibition that will be opened to public in Troja Château on 4 April 2025 by Prague City Gallery. Curators Karla Hlaváčková and Veronika Čechová revisit the history of the Baroque building, which originally served as a summer retreat for the nobility, and examine how we spend our free time today. The Palace of (Leisure) Time primarily features young artists and a selection of works that relate to leisure, not only through the nature of the medium – such as embroidery and ceramics – but also through questions associated with the theme of leisure, such as: Do we allow ourselves to do nothing these days, or are we constantly pushed to be productive? The exhibition will be on display in the Baroque château, surrounded by gardens and a natural labyrinth, until 29 October 2025.
“Leisure time is supposed to be a time we can fill as we choose. But what should we fill it with? Nowadays, we have a plethora of activities to choose from, which often makes us fear that if we slow down and relax for a moment, something will be missed. Can we truly 'do nothing'? Are free moments rare? And what does the much-discussed balance between leisure and work look like? There are many questions that relate to this topic. The Palace of (Leisure) Time will therefore present the works of 14 artists and groups who look at it from different angles," says curator Karla Hlaváčková.
Do people need to feel fulfilled by their work, or do they need a high salary, benefits and plenty of vacation days to compensate for a lack of fulfilment? In his work Frieze/Vlys, Zbyněk Baladrán addresses the functioning of the labour market with an element of exaggeration, presenting four images that, due to their visual treatment, resemble the art of various ancient cultures. Judita Levitnerová reflects on sedentary labour by using an office carpet into which she imprints various forms of a seated person.
In their work Teabags on Eyelids II, Barbora Zentková and Julia Gryboś point to the societal pressure on individuals in modern society to avoid looking tired and to consistently be productive. Through dyeing fabrics with tea and engaging in manual work with the fabric, the artists emphasise the need to slow down, confronting the pressure to perform through the almost ritualistic repetition of tedious tasks.
However, leisure time is also associated with idleness – doing nothing, watching superficial soap operas, or scrolling through Instagram reels. Relaxing activities such as applying a face mask or reading under a blanket can be found in Eva Volfová's embroidery series. Roman Štětina's Lost Case uses the famous Columbo series, connecting scenes that go nowhere – they don't create a cohesive story and flow while Columbo gradually ages. For the exhibition, Johana Hnízdilová created a vase inspired by the terracotta vases found in the grounds of Troja Château, into which she inserted black glass referencing the ubiquity of displays in everyday life.
According to the curators, the exhibition does not provide advice or clear instructions on how to spend leisure time but aims to encourage visitors to reflect on how they handle their free time and whether they allow themselves to be idle.
Accompanying Programme: Radio Wave concerts, workshops and an open-air cinema
The Troja Château, along with its adjacent gardens and maze, forms the so-called Troja Labyrinth, which will host an accompanying programme to The Palace of (Leisure) Time exhibition as well as several exhibitions in public spaces until the end of October. "We continue our successful cooperation with Radio Wave. Last year, we jointly organised a series of discussions and concerts at various places on the premises under the title Opulence. This year, the programme, entitled Riviera, will take place on 15 July, 5 and 26 August. At the end of August and the beginning of September, guided tours of the outdoor exhibition are planned, along with an open-air cinema," adds Agáta Hošnová from the Art for the City programme, which organises this year’s accompanying programmes at the Labyrinth.
The Education Department of Prague City Gallery has prepared thematic workshops for adults and children in the orangery, focusing on ceramics, textiles, embroidery, weaving and plant decorations. Interactive tours of the exhibition will also be available for all types of schools and other age and interest groups. For more information, please visit our web.
Photos in print quality to download here, © Jan Kolský
4 April – 29 October 2025
Curators: Karla Hlaváčková, Veronika Čechová
Exhibiting Artists: Zbyněk Baladrán, Anna-Marie Berdychová, Johana Hnízdilová, Peter Kolárčik, Eliška Konečná, Monika Kučerová, Judita Levitnerová, Františka Malasková, pingpongping (Anna Vašičková, Hana Kubrichtová, David Stejskal), Nicolas Prokop, Roman Štětina, Eva Volfová, Barbora Zentková & Julia Gryboś ande Tereza Zichová.
Graphic design: Anymade Studio
Architectural Design: Tereza Melková
GHMP Zámek Troja, U Trojského zámku 1/4, 170 00 Prague 7
Opening hours: Tue–Sun, 10 a.m.– 6 p.m., Fri 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Entrance fee: CZK 200 full (adults) / CZK 90 discounted (students and seniors)
For up-to-date information on accompanying programmes, guided tours and educational activities, please visit our web.
Tickets for the exhibition are available at the GHMP venues or at GoOut.net.
The exhibition programme of Prague City Gallery is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.