Obstacle course, 2024

The outdoor installation in the shared courtyard of the Bratislava City Gallery and the Academy of Fine Arts and Design accompanies Zorka Lednárová’s exhibition The Path of the City at Medium Gallery. The artist focuses on physical barriers in public space — obstacles that remain unnoticed by many but are nearly insurmountable for people with limited mobility. As someone who encounters these barriers daily, she highlights the universal human desire for freedom and movement.

Through artistic media, activist interventions, and participatory work, she shares her experience of navigating sidewalks, underpasses, and building entrances. A window installation presents real situations that function as barriers. Visitors can also try an interactive wheelchair obstacle course, experiencing uneven surfaces and unexpected obstructions while listening to František Kovár read the official accessibility decree that claims everything should be compliant.

Lednárová’s goal is not only critique but collaboration. Together with students from AFAD and STU, she explored Bratislava’s streets, identified problematic spots, and proposed creative solutions. These findings appear in large-format prints in the courtyard, with improvement proposals accessible via QR code.