Czech Culture Minister Dismisses Director of Prague’s National Gallery, Generating Scrutiny
Czech culture minister Oto Klempíř dismissed Alicja Knast as director of Prague’s National Gallery, a move that has drawn scrutiny and claims of political motivation. Knast had led the museum since 2021 after being appointed by then–culture minister Lubomir Zaoralek, while Klempíř—of the right-wing Motorists party—became culture minister in 2025 and did not provide a formal reason beyond a statement about strengthening the museum’s “position in the European context.” The National Gallery’s holdings include works by František Kupka, Alphonse Mucha, Gustav Klimt, Peter Paul Rubens, Vincent van Gogh, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Rembrandt van Rijn. Olga Kotková, head of the Old Masters collection, was named interim director, and former culture minister Martin Baxa criticized the manner of the dismissal for lacking a joint press conference or public explanation.
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This story was covered in Restitution Reckonings and Biennale Blowups