Matter of Art is a long-term institutional experiment and intervention into the public space. It is a non-profit, critical, and self-critical organization which investigates possibilities for the social and political functions of art in the present day. Matter of Art’s events and projects have no fixed format and operate across various social strata. These activities culminate in the international Biennale Matter of Art, which began in 2020 in Prague.

Matter of Art abides by the code of practice of feminist institutions, which values interconnection and sustainability over performance and productivity. We believe it possible in institutional practice to foresee the world we want and thus contribute to a more concrete vision of a better future. This happens with an awareness of the contradictions which stem from the political, social, and economic realities in which we function. By addressing and highlighting these issues, we transform our institution into a political space.

We want to be meaningful in a local context, lead discussions about the position of art, culture, and cultural institutions in the region, and foster long-term relationships with local communities; however, we don’t want to limit ourselves to local issues. We develop international connections and build relationships based on solidarity beyond the scope of our own culture. We believe institutions are never neutral, that they contribute to maintaining or challenging the status quo. We are building a cultural institution as a space for public discussion about visions that carry within them a hope for emancipation, social and ecological justice, and real democracy.

The initiative for contemporary art tranzit.cz is a member of the tranzit.org network, founded in 2002 and working independently in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. Over the course of its existence, tranzit.cz has been engaged in numerous international projects and exhibitions within the framework of tranzit.org, such as Monument to Transformation 1989 – 2009; Manifesta 8, Murcia, Spain (2010); Report on the Construction of a Spaceship Module at New Museum, New York City, USA (2014); and others. From 2007 to 2017 tranzit was a part of the project of the tranzitdisplay gallery in Prague. In 2017 tranzit.cz initiated the code of practice of the Feminist (Art) Institution.