ABOUT MARIANNA STRÁNSKÁ

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Marianna Stránská (b. 1986) is a Prague-based artist. She graduated from the Prague Academy of Performing Arts, where she specialized in scenography and puppet making, earning a BA (2009), an MA (2012), and a PhD in Theater (2019). Since 2007, she has worked as a designer of sets, costumes, and puppets for film, theatre, new circus, and opera productions—including for the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. She has collaborated with directors across the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland. In 2013, Marianna co-founded the Stransky Art Company. Many of her projects at home and abroad have received awards. Alongside her scenographic work, she pursues a career as a freelance visual artist. Her practice includes painting, drawing, and the creation of interactive objects. She contributed to Play, a group exhibition at the Mánes Gallery curated by Petr Nikl, and later to the Orbis Pictus Play project, developing installations for exhibitions in Linz, New York City, Vienna, Prague, and Zlín, where several are on permanent display. Since 2013, Marianna has been focusing increasingly on drawing, watercolor, and painting—since 2019, primarily on painting—continually developing it as a central expression of her creativity. Her work has been exhibited at Topičův Salón, Prague (15 May – 27 June 2025), and at Gallery PORT 1560, Český Krumlov (from 10 July 2025), as part of the exhibition Z MLHY, created in dialogue with fellow artist Petr Nikl. In September 2025, Marianna was selected to participate in Young Selection 02, the second edition of the Prague Art Week exhibition showcasing the youngest talents of the contemporary art scene, held at The House art hub in Prague, where she is currently an artist-in-residence with her studio.

EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

2019 Ph.D. in Alternative Theatre, Puppet Theatre, and Its Theory, under the supervision of Doc. Pavel Kalfus and Prof. Miroslav Klíma 2012 MA at The Prague Academy of Performative Arts (DAMU) at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre, specializing in Stage Design and Puppet Design, under the supervision of Tomáš Žižka 2009 BA from the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU), Prague, at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre, specializing in Stage Design and puppet design, under the supervision of Doc. Pavel Kalfus

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

‘The Art of Participation: The Audience as a Special Component in the Act of Art.’ Doctoral thesis, Theatre Faculty, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Prague 2019 Research into the phenomenon of the Art of Participation, ranging from the fine arts to ‘social practice’, and elevating the audience to be a creative component of the artwork.

EXPOSITION

2025	Young Selection 02 at the Prague Art Week held at The House art hub in Prague
2025	Z MLHY, adaptation of previous exposition of painting with artist Petr Nikl, gallery PORT 1560
2025	NEWS, a collective exhibition of paintings, sculptures and objects, Galerie Bernard Bolzán in Těchobuz
2025	Z MLHY, exposition of painting with artist Petr Nikl, Topičův Salón Praha
2023	Other Landscapes, a collective exhibition of paintings, sculptures and objects, Galerie Bernard Bolzán in Těchobuz
	Exhibition of paintings and watercolors and prints together with Matěj Lipavský, Adéla Strnadová, David Cajthaml and Karolina Mitašová
2015	Orbis pictus PLAY, a Permanent exhibition of objects from the collective travelling exhibition curated by Peter Nikl, Zlín Museum Chateau
2014	Broumovsko PLAY, an interactive large machine “Kuleta”, collective exhibition, Broumov
2013	IN MOVE, outdoor installation under the Žižkov Tower, Tanec Praha festival
	HNÍZDO, an interactive hanging object, exhibition “VIKÝŘE”, Malostranská beseda
	THE TABLE, an interactive machine, exhibition PLAY Petr Nikl et al., Brno Chateau
2012	Marble Slide, a stair installation, interactive exhibition PLAY WELL Petr Nikl et al., Czech Center in New York, interactive installation
	LABYRINTH OF SENSE, interactive exhibition, Linz, interactive object TABLE
	4th SYMPOSIUM OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT AND LEISURE INDUSTRY, Milan, video document
2011	Prague Quadrennial, interactive machine, Prague Nation Gallery
2010	ORBIS PICTUS PLAY, interactive exhibition Petr Nikl et al., Gallery Mánes, Prague, exhibited objects: Kuleta I, Hads, Walda
	THE REST OF THE MINDS, an interactive program within the VyšeHrátky Festival, set of interactive objects and artistic concept

OPERA

2024	Costume design for opera by Šimon Voseček : Ogres, a costumed concert for The National Theatre in Prague, at The Opera Nova Festival 2024
2024	Costume design for opera Motýlci, chamber adaptation for The National Theatre in Prague, at The Opera Nova Festival
2024	Costume design for opera by Jiří Trtík : Kafka`s letter to his father, directed by Josef Doležal, for The National Theatre in Prague, at The Opera Nova Festival
2020	Costume design for Cavaleria Rusticana, at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, stage director Arnaud Bernard
2019	Costume design for La Fanciulla del West at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, stage director Arnaud Bernard
2018	Costume design for Simone Boccanegra at Opéra de Lausanne directed by Arnaud Bernard
2017	Costume design for Verdi’s Vespri Siciliani at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg directed by Arnaud Bernard
	Design and implementation of costumes for Puccini‘s Tosca at the National Theatre in Prague directed by Arnaud Bernard

THEATRE

She has collaborated with theatre directors Jiří Havelka, Ondrej Spišák, and Linda Dušková. She has collaborated with Veronika Poldauf Riedlbauchová on the successful productions The Swimming Pool (2013, Bra(Tri) v triku) and LOV (2018, La Fabrika), Do Hajan (2020, Theatre Drak) and To je andělení (2023, Theatre Drak) and the latest Hej Mistře! (2024, Bra(Tri) v triku) and Marcipáni (2025, Divadlo loutek Ostrava). Through the project "puppet occupation" she met Slovenian puppeteer Matija Solc, with whom she created two important interactive puppet shows for the National Puppet Theatre in Ljubljana (Kabaret Luknja, Four Musicians). In 2016, she participated in the musical and artistic production Kar for the band Fekete Seretlek. Currently, she is in collaboration with Alžběta Tichá in the project Frekvence.

DIRECTING / AUTHOR PERFORMANCE

2016	O SOBĚ A O SEZENÍ, directing an experimental author performance in collaboration with Vit Klusák and Barbora Chalupová in La Fabrika
	BARROCK, directing an original performance for the Nomadic Theatre Žebřiňák
2015	KILL TYL, directing an original performance for the Nomadic Theatre Žebřiňák
2014	CIRCUS HEAD NEHLAVA, directing an original performance for the Nomadic Theatre Žebřiňák
2013	GULLIVER'S ROADS, directing an original performance for the Nomadic Theatre Žebřiňák
2008	EXHALE - author's performance, Skupova Plzeň
2007	SKRZNASKRZ, Wooden cream, performance connected with installation, NoD
2006	"PUPPET OCCUPATION", monthly performed improvised original performance

FILM

2021	JMÉNA SE CTÍ, the scriptwriter for the documantary film for Czech TV
2020	Interviews "Nebát se", as a moderator for Skautský institut Praha
2018	The White World According to Daliborek, Documentary movie, nominated for the Czech Lion Award
2014	Cyril and Methodius: The Apostles of the Slavs, nominated for the Czech Lion Award

COLLABORATIONS

With directors Arnaud Bernard, Vit Klusák, Petr Nikolaev, and theatre companies Theatre VOSTO5, Theater ANPU, Cirque Mlejn, Theater Ponec, Jatka 78, BraTři v Triku & Holektiv, Theatre Drak, Veronika Poldauf Riedlbauchova, Josef Doležal, Alžběta Tichá