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Maxim Velčovský (CZ) → In a Flash by Mercedes-Benz

19:00-24:00
  • City center
  • Partner installation

About project

This partner installation, set within a majestic Baroque palace, invites visitors to take a journey through 140 years of bold innovation by Mercedes-Benz. Cars bear witness to the ingenuity and creativity of generations of engineers and designers, with each vehicle telling part of the story — from the first models that challenged industry standards to the latest technological advances shaping the trends of the future.

Contrasting with the modern elegance of the cars, the space creates a visual dialogue between past and present. A laser light show adds another layer to this dialogue — light as the intangible equivalent of speed. While the vehicles represent innovation made tangible, beams of light above the courtyard trace innovation as pure movement: routes without physical form, visible only for the moment of their existence. In this way, the installation shifts the focus from the history of the brand to a broader reflection on technological progress. What remains tangible, and what exists only as a trace in time?

Artist

Maxim Velčovský is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Czech design. He studied ceramics and porcelain at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, where he later headed the Ceramics and Porcelain Studio. In 2002, he co-founded Qubus Design Studio with Jakub Berdych and has been working as Creative Director of LASVIT for many years.

His work combines a conceptual approach with a respect for traditional crafts, particularly glassmaking, which he reinterprets in new contexts, typically with irony and a touch of exaggeration. He has participated in more than 90 exhibitions, and his work is held in the collections of the V&A Museum, the Centre Pompidou and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. In 2007, he was named Designer of the Year in the Czech Grand Design awards.

Location

The opulent Clam-Gallas Palace is one of Prague’s most prominent Baroque landmarks. There are few Baroque palaces in the world that have survived in such excellent condition, offering an insight into the life of an aristocratic family of the period. The palace is dominated by a grand ceremonial staircase surrounded by a wealth of exquisite interiors, a lavish showcase of 18th-century sculpture and painting. The courtyard is the focal point of the exterior and is hosting a festival installation here for the third time.

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