Prague Uses Art to Discourage Dangerous Activities in Wooded Areas

On 25 June, the City of Prague announced that it has teamed up with influential individuals from artistic disciplines to launch the “Ne! v přírodě” (“No! in nature”) awareness campaign.

That is, the Department of Environmental Protection of the City of Prague collaborated with photographer and art director Matěje Derecka Harda to create 12 striking images of celebrities engaging in dangerous activities in parks and forests.

The photographs depict 12 different scenarios of individuals performing different prohibited things such as polluting, driving in the woods, vandalising, feeding animals, cycling outside designated paths and lighting a fire, among others.

These dangerous activities are portrayed in a theatrical and mysterious manner as Czech artists, singers, athletes, models, etc. pose barefoot and in white clothes. Some of these celebrities include artist Jiří Korn, actress Dagmar Havlová, singer Ben Cristovao, athlete David Svoboda and model Kateřina Sokolová.

Matěje Derecka Harda’s photographs depict an air of danger and mystery as the subjects in the photographs look guilty or afraid and lost. Moreover, they are surrounded by nature and what appears to be fog or mist. These surroundings only further heighten the sense of peril.

The primary goal of this joint project is to raise awareness and remind people that they pose a threat to themselves and others when they engage in certain activities.

Commenting on this, Petr Hlubuček Deputy Mayor for the Environment explained: “I am really happy with the campaign. We managed to capture all the scandals that are happening in Prague forests in a popular way. I believe that this will contribute to enlightenment among the inhabitants and to a better state of the environment in our city.”

A ceremonial opening of an exhibition featuring these 12 photographs took place on Friday 25 June. This exhibition is located in the Old Town Hall and can be viewed until 10 July.