Hearing/Seeing: Mahler

Format

The artists will create a visual work in response to one of Mahler’s symphonies (Symphonies No. 1–9). They may use any section of any symphony of their choosing, or select one of nine pre-selected passages. The result will combine audio and video into a cohesive audiovisual work.

A key formal requirement is an emphasis on visual continuity, the flow of time, and the interconnection between the musical and visual components of the final piece. Therefore, the video must be created either:

• as a single take, or

• as a time-lapse video

The expected length of the videos is approximately 1–3 minutes. The works will primarily be produced in horizontal format; the artists will also prepare a vertical version with a maximum duration of 1 minute.

Selected musical excerpts from the Czech Philharmonic’s current complete recording are available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Selected musical excerpts

1. Symphony No. 1, first movement, from 4:02 to 6:08 

2. Symphony No. 2, third movement, from 3:30 to 6:35.

3. Symphony No. 3, fourth movement, from 0:28 to 3:18.

4. Symphony No. 4, first movement, from 0:00 to 2:54

5. Symfonie č. 5, třetí věta, čas od 0:00 do 2:56

6. Symphony No. 6, first movement, from 12:38 to 14:49

7. Symphony No. 7, second movement, from 0:00 to 2:50

8. Symphony No. 8, Part II, second movement, from 0:00 to 2:45

9. Symphony No. 9, second movement, from 0:00 to 2:40

Technical Specifications

• Format: H.264

• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (horizontal) and 9:16 (vertical)

• Frame rate: 25 or 30 fps

• Resolution: 4K UHD

• Duration: 60–180 seconds

Why Participate

• Showcase your work at the Rudolfinum, one of the Czech Republic’s foremost cultural venues, in a project presented under the patronage of leading artistic institutions. This is not an exhibition of Galerie Rudolfinum, but a collaborative presentation by all three partners in the Ceremony Hall.

• Gain visibility through the communication channels and promotional platforms of all three institutions.

• Work with an exceptional recording project of international significance.

• Receive an artist honorarium.

Who Can Apply

Artists based in the Czech Republic who are no older than 35 at the time of submission are eligible to apply. The call is open to both individual artists and collectives.

Artist Honorarium

Selected artists will receive an honorarium of CZK 20,000.

How to Apply

Please submit a concept for your audiovisual work in the form of a storyboard or still frame, optionally accompanied by a reference moving image (this may include an excerpt from a completed work), together with an artist statement of 1–2 standard pages.

The statement should include:

• the reasoning behind the choice of a particular symphony and the approach to the musical material

• a description of the proposed single-take or time-lapse format

• an explanation of the relationship between the musical structure and the visual concept (rhythm, atmosphere, and treatment of time)

Selection Process

Each artist may submit any number of proposals; however, each proposal must respond to a different symphony. Based on the submitted concepts, an expert jury will select nine artists who will be invited to realize their proposals. In addition, three established audiovisual artists will be invited to participate in the project.

Participants will be selected on the basis of the quality of the submitted concept and its relationship to the musical source material. During the production phase, the selected artists will work independently, with the option of consulting invited supervisors and jury members. These consultations will be voluntary, and each participant may decide whether and to what extent to make use of them.

Committee Members

Julia Bailey

Eva Drexlerová

Nela Klajbanová

Jakub Pešek

Roman Štětina

Jakub Kožíšek

Timeline

• Application deadline: 20 June 2026, midnight

• Announcement of selected artists: 14 July 2026

• Submission of work in progress (minimum length: 20 seconds): 14 August 2026

• Final submission deadline: 18 September 2026

• Opening / launch of the presentation: October 2026

Presentation Format

The selected works will be presented on professional 4K displays with the following specifications:

• 55" screen size

• 3840 × 2160 resolution (4K UHD)

• 500 nits brightness

Audio will be presented through closed-back headphones.