Otevřený dopis vědecké rady NGP ministru Klempířovi

Zveřejňujeme otevřený dopis Vědecké rady ministru kultury Otu Klempířovi, v němž představitelé zahraničních institucí zastoupených v poradním orgánu ředitelky galerie vyjadřují znepokojení nad postupem odvolání Alicje Knast necelý rok před vypršením jejího řádného mandátu. Vyzdvihují napříkald úsilí Knast o upevnění pozice Národní galerie v mezinárodním kontextu a vyzývá ho k řádnému promýšlení dalších kroků, jež by mohly vést k další destabilizaci instituce i v mezinárodním měřítku. 

 

Dear Minister Klempíř,

The Scientific Council of the National Gallery in Prague wishes to express its profound concern regarding the dismissal of Ms Alicja Knast from her position as Director of the National Gallery and respectfully requests a clear and substantiated explanation of the reasons underlying this unexpected decision.

The members of the Council note with particular concern that this decision was taken less than one year before the conclusion of Director Knast’s National Gallery Prague Strategy for years 2022-2026, which was expressly intended to be subject to comprehensive evaluation, and was not preceded by any publicly articulated reservations or criticisms relating to her leadership or managerial performance. The sole justification reported in the media—namely, that the dismissal was intended to strengthen the National Gallery’s position within the European context—appears insufficient and unconvincing.

Indeed, as a body composed of international museum professionals and scholars who have closely observed the activities of the National Gallery over the past three years, the Scientific Council can only commend Director Knast for her notable achievements in precisely this regard, particularly for her effective efforts in strengthening the Gallery’s international standing, visibility, and professional reputation within the global museum and cultural landscape.

The Scientific Council does not question the Minister’s statutory authority to appoint and dismiss the directors of institutions under his remit. Nevertheless, the Council is of the opinion that decisions of this nature should be taken with particular care and be based on clear, well-founded, and transparent premises. When this is not the case, such decisions risk acting to the detriment of the institution concerned—including, notably, to the detriment of its international standing—and, moreover, may undermine confidence in established democratic and governance procedures.

In light of the above, the Scientific Council respectfully urges the Minister to give due consideration to the broader institutional and international context of this decision and its potential long-term implications for the National Gallery. Acting in accordance with its mandate, the Council feels obliged to state its opposition to any measures that might place at risk the Gallery’s stability, credibility, and standing within the international museum community.

 

Respectfully

Dr Jaroslaw Suchan
Jagiellonian University Krakow
chairman of the Scientific Council

on behalf of:

Prof. Marion Ackermann, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin – vice-chair

Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Dr Mateusz Chmurski, Director of the French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences, Prague

Dr Fabrice Hergott, Director of the City of Paris Museum of Modern Art

Dr Marcin Poprawski, HUMAK University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki

Dr. Marek Prokůpek, KEDGE Business School, Paris

Prof. Marcelle Rabinowicz, Free University of Brussels

Prof. Chia-Ling Yang, University of Edinburgh

Dr. Kathryn L. Libin, Vassar College (USA)