Beneath the stoic gaze of Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture, a chilling tale unfolds. This sculpture is a powerful memorial. It stands as a stark reminder of a dark chapter in Czech history.
Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture was unveiled on June 16 2010. It marked the 60th anniversary of a tragic event. This event was the execution of Dr. Milada Horáková and three other innocent people. Záviše Kalandra Jan Buchal and Dr. Oldřich Pecl were also executed.
Jiří Sozanský a prominent Czech artist created Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture. The unveiling took place in front of the Czech Republic Government Office. The Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer and Prague Mayor Pavel Bém attended.
The unveiling was part of a project. This project was called DEN DVACÁTÝ SEDMÝ. Civic association SYMPOSION prepared it. It commemorated the 60th anniversary of the political process. This process resulted in these executions.
The executions on June 27 1950, marked the start of communist terror. Many years of imprisonment followed for others accused. After 1989, the truth emerged. The processes were staged. Public awareness of the ideological significance was lacking.
In recent years efforts have been made to reflect on this. This reflection is both documentary and artistic. Doc. PhDr. Jiří T. Kotalík rector of AVU spoke about Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture. He said the sculpture reflects both Nazi and Communist totalitarian systems. Both condemned Milada Horáková. Communists carried out the heinous act.
This monumental piece deliberately resembles plague columns. These columns stood in town squares. They served as thanks for averting plagues wars and epidemics. Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture symbolically updates this theme. It raises the question. Are we truly ready to see this era as the past? An era from which we distance ourselves. An era whose return we will never allow.
Doc. PhDr. Libuše Heczková from the Faculty of Arts Charles University also commented. She noted the staged trial of Milada Horáková. The mass hysteria supporting her execution. It had characteristics of a story seeking to control life. A woman who gives life became a victim. Other women skillfully manipulated ostracized her. They understood their role to bear children.
In this context Sozanský’s brutal sculpture can be seen as protest. It is against power and senseless violence. It continues Horáková’s story. It leads to our own story. Besides Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture Sozanský created other works. These works include canvases of stylized gallows. They evoke feelings of purification and reconciliation. Two types of work represent two sides of a woman’s fate. The artist made it a cornerstone of humanity.
Karel Hvížďala said Jiří Sozanský protested with his work. He protested against the kitsch that covers reality. Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture creates a leper for our memory. Its power lies in its visibility.
Mater Mortis den dvacátý sedmý Sculpture stands as a powerful testament. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It serves as a constant reminder of the importance of justice freedom and remembrance.