In the historic heart of Prague, the New Kolowrat Palace has opened its doors to the public with the Game on Gallery, becoming the first exhibition space in the world to host the prestigious World Sports Photography Awards (WSPA). The grand opening attracted numerous personalities, including Olympic bronze medalist fencer Jiří Beran, Roman Kreuziger, and Nikol Kučerová. The exhibition is open to the public daily from 10 AM to 6 PM.
The gallery features 100 photographs from 25 sports, selected by judges from thousands of entries submitted to this year’s WSPA competition.
The gallery is open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the New Kolowrat Palace (Na Příkopě 17, Prague 1).
Among past award-winning photographers are Roman Vondrouš, Pavol Tomaškin, and Magdalena Straková, who have worked in the Czech Republic. Both Tomaškin and Straková are among this year’s award recipients, and they are joined by Petr Slavík, who was recognized for his photograph from the Biathlon World Cup in Östersund, Sweden. His shot captures an athlete, light, darkness, and snowflakes in perfect harmony. Czech athletes also caught the attention of award-winning photographers, with weightlifter František Polák featured in the photograph titled 'New Superhero?' during the European Championships in Yerevan, Armenia.
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We wanted to create a vibrant space, a meeting place for athletes, photographers, fans, and other visitors.
In addition to the award-winning WSPA photographs, gallery visitors will also find other images from the world of road cycling by Markéta Navrátilová, who spent 25 years photographing the Tour de France.
World Sports Photography in a New Light
The World Sports Photography Awards, the largest and most prestigious competition of its kind, has attracted thousands of professional and amateur photographers from around the world in its five years of existence. More than 22,000 images have competed for the jury's favor, with the winning photographs receiving global recognition.
“Sport has an incomparable impact and power. It represents the best of human endeavor. It transcends language barriers and borders. It inspires, moves, and brings joy,” says Alan Whiter, representative of the WSPA. “The World Sports Photography Awards celebrates the incredible ability of sport to touch our lives, as well as the equally incredible ability of photography to capture and communicate these moments.”
Game on Gallery: Where Sport and Art Meet
“We wanted to create a vibrant space, a meeting place for athletes, photographers, fans, and other visitors,” says Jan Dvořák, co-founder of the gallery. “Game on Gallery and the Sport in Art platform combine a permanent exhibition of WSPA award-winning photographs with temporary exhibitions, such as the current one – The Story of Cycling by Markéta Navrátilová. We would like to thank curator Štěpánka Stein and the entire team for their excellent work.”
The WSPA project will also collaborate with the Sports Journalists' Club, whose history dates back to 1923.
Markéta Navrátilová: 25 Years with the Tour de France
Alongside the opening of the World Sports Photography Awards, Markéta Navrátilová also launched her own exhibition, having documented the Tour de France for 25 years. Joining her on stage was cyclist Roman Kreuziger, a successful ten-time participant in the world’s most famous race. “Photography reminds me of moments of both victory and defeat. It captures a moment, bringing back emotions that would otherwise fade from memory,” says the fifth-place finisher of the 2013 Tour.
Sports Photography in the Digital Age
The significance of sports photography was highlighted by Michal Dusík, chairman of the Sports Journalists' Club. “In an online world where millions of images are created daily, it is especially important to identify and select the best and present them to the public in the real world,” says Dusík. “Sports photography retains its importance, bringing fans the emotions and atmosphere of sporting events they might not otherwise experience.”
The gallery is open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the New Kolowrat Palace (Na Příkopě 17, Prague 1).
More at https://www.gameongallery.cz/
