Diary > Stefan Osterider - Krumau
Krumlov, Czech Republic12/14–02/15
Stefan Osterider
I was primarily interested in using the studio – a mighty, tower-like room; the essential cornerstones of my residency were a focused and intensive occupation with my work without any distractions as well as the financial security provided; working, going for a small walk, discovering something new – continuing to work – highly focused and very intensively throughout the three AIR months; using the great studio and working and finding my niches in the small town!!
| 1. | Dos & dont's in this place: |
| Don’t go there in summer, during the busiest tourist season… | |
| 2. | Where to buy great supplies: |
| If possible, bring everything along yourself — you can’t buy many materials in town; the DIY market on the outskirts is not really helpful. And the Koh-i-Noor shop in Cesky Budéjovice, the biggest city in the vicinity, carries a not so extensive range of products. | |
| 3. | Concerning art at this destination: |
| Apart from the Schiele Center and a weekly meeting at the Ukradená gallery that mainly presents Czech artists, there are hardly any institutional activities; but there are exchanges with artists from the other AIR programmes (Czech Republic, Upper Austria…). The Fotoatélier Seidel and architecture from past eras, e.g. the Baroque Castle Theatre, are well worth seeing; what particularly fascinated me was the “UFO” in the Castle Garden – a rotating grandstand dating from the 1960s that is used for theatre performances in summer and that could have featured in any James Bond film. Rumour has it that the city is at risk to lose its Unesco cultural heritage status because of it… |
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| 4. | Around the studio – where I shop, drink my coffee and get the best lunch deal in walking distance: |
| es gibt einige kleine Cafes, und vor allem das Cafe Fontana am Hauptplatz – ein Ort, wo man noch den postkommunistischen „Charme“ spüren kann – und es grandiose Brötchen, bzw. Torten gibt; Einrichtung klassische 80er!! v.a. Tschechen/Innen gehen hier ein und aus – keine Touristen was mitten im Ort eine Seltenheit darstellt. | |
| 5. | Where I like to spend the evening (dinner, drinks and best sound): |
| The swimming pool at the back of the Castle Garden is recommendable; Depot and a few small restaurants in the historic town centre for dining... Gorillas if you don’t mind if it’s somewhat noisier |
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| 6. | What would have been useful to know before coming here and starting my residency: |
| You absolutely must explore the surroundings – between old factories, residential areas and relics from the communist era, you can discover many new and, above all, bizarrely charming things. |
Website resident: stefan-osterider.net