Signal Festival is set to dazzle the city this weekend, drawing on international talent to fuse contemporary visual art, urban space, and cutting-edge technology for the eleventh consecutive year.
The festival has emerged as Czechia’s most visited cultural event, welcoming over 5 million visitors since its inception. This year’s lineup showcases renowned Czech and international artists specializing in light design, AI, and conceptual art– all against the historic backdrop of Prague.
“I go every year,” said former AAU Student Body President Simone Stansbury. “It’s such a unique experience because the festival is never the same.”
Signal Festival 2024 presents 15 exhibitions across Prague 1 and 2, accompanied by live music and after-parties for an all-night immersive experience. Details on the 12 free exhibitions beginning this Friday at dusk are outlined below:
Filip Hodas’ Eternal Recurrence transforms the Archbishop’s Palace into a digital exploration of life’s evolution. He explores themes of collapse and renewal through the metamorphosis of molecules to complex organic forms.
The music for his cyclical video mapping will be produced by Pavel (Rido) Ridoško, breathing new life into the 16th-century Baroque palace.
The ORB installation, originally created for Egypt’s 2022 Forever is Now II exhibition, will be on display beneath Prague Castle. The ORB draws inspiration from mathematical concepts, such as the geometry of the pyramids and the concept of pi.
The mirrored sphere invites audience interactions by reflecting the surrounding panoramic views of Prague.
Due to the location, space at this exhibition is limited.
Cao Yuxi will present her ongoing audiovisual series Dimensional Sampling in Old Town Square, portraying modern society’s worship of digital technology. The motif is symbolized by a cubic structure replicating the appearance of a QR code, paralleling the online world.
The exhibit will collaborate with artist Lawrence Lau to include compositions blending synth music with real-world sounds, primarily from mobile devices.
This Neoclassical building is traditionally one of the busiest locations of the Signal Festival, hosting a video mapping installation that portrays the shape of the ocean’s rhythm. This experience will be accompanied by Suzanne Ciani’s analog synthesizer to celebrate the vitality of life.
Mercedes-Benz has partnered with the festival since the beginning,now introducing its “Mercedes-Benz: AURA” installation to highlight its electric cars through dynamic movement, semi-transparent fabric, and clean energy.
Jana Bernartová, inspired by the kaleidoscopic beauty of raindrops refracting light off her phone screen, which creates liquid crystals to explore the mutability of digital color, will manifest her piece using both technology and culture. Her piece will incorporate sound, converting inaudible electromagnetic frequencies from devices into an audible installation.
“Audire Fluctus” is a transmedia sculpture designed by Kryštof Brůha to merge light art with an interactive abstract totem. The piece monitors and visualizes electromagnetic waves from surrounding electrical communication devices using a medium called Spectraflux, aiming to visualize the invisible energy of the city.
The centerpiece of Signal Festival’s GLO installation is a 10-meter-high hexagon made from LED panels, spanning across an area of 180 square meters. Equipped with infrared cameras, the installation tracks visitors’ movements, projecting them onto the panels and allowing individuals to influence the display. As night falls, it will evolve into an audiovisual art piece crafted by DJs, music producers, and visual artists.
Southern Fountain in Charles Square
“Reflection” is a site-specific installation featuring a kinetic wall of moving mirrors that dynamically interact with its light and sound surroundings to resemble a scientific instrument. This robotic artwork aims to transform urban spaces into immersive, ceremonial environments.
In commemoration of 35 years since the Velvet Revolution, Democracy? explores the state of democracy in modern Czech society, highlighting its evolution and imperfections using color psychology to evoke emotions.
Inspired by The Matrix (1990), The Red Pill takes place inside a private art gallery, encouraging viewers to see beyond illusions. Pavel Mrkus aims to explore geometric and physical orders while using advanced technology and algorithms to present his poetic view of the world.
Charles Square Friday and Saturday Only
The Pražská plynárenská stage is not part of the festival’s curated content but serves as a platform to expand the festival’s cultural reach. Visual art and music will be fused with performances by artists such as Lazer Viking, DJ N’Zyma, Zofii Dares, Lišaj&RealityCongress, and DJ Robot across two evenings.
More information regarding the festival can be found on its website, including a list of all free and charged events, where you can buy Gallery Zone tickets that cover 4 days of the festival with 22 separate installations. VIP tickets for the Signal Festival after party GLO are also available for purchase.
Directions to each of the free entry exhibition locations are available on Google Maps.
