As art heads more and more towards the digital and abstract spheres, one question comes to mind: how should this art be seen? A traditional gallery certainly won’t do the job. Clearly, creative visionary Martin Pošta realized this, as he’s set to unveil the next generation of art exhibitions.
Walking into Prague’s Neo-Renaissance Market Hall this fall, visitors won’t find anything close to a farmer’s market. Instead, they’ll step into Signal Space: the city’s first permanent immersive art gallery, where light, sound, data, and imagination collide in a way that feels less like visiting a museum and more like crossing into an new dimension. It’s looking to be a gallery fit for the 21st century.
Founded by Pošta, Signal Space is a response to the way our lives are being reshaped by digital transformation at every level. If traditional galleries curate paintings and sculptures as reflections of their time, Signal Space asks us to look at algorithms, lasers, and projected illusions with the same respect and curiosity. The inaugural exhibition, Echoes of Tomorrow, showcases several forward-thinking pieces of art and also asks how our visions of the future reverberate in the present: in our cities, in our technologies, and in the way we see and feel the world around us.
The works on display – like Playmodes Studio’s generative light-and-sound instrument Signes, Shohei Fujimoto’s ghostly laser geometries in intangible #form, or Quayola’s unfinished algorithmic sculpture Fighters – don’t present the future as a clean, linear narrative: they present it as fragments, experiments, and provocations. They blur boundaries between human intuition and computational precision, reminding us that the digital and the organic are no longer separate. We are now living in a hybrid world, and this exhibition successfully reckons with that.
For Pošta, this exhibition is a manifesto: proof that immersive art is not a niche, but a language. And beyond the gallery walls, Signal Space extends into a community hub, with DJ sets, lectures on creative coding, and even a playground for kids to discover digital storytelling. We sat down with Pošta to learn more.
The story behind Signal Space is something that strikes a chord with artists hoping to find a community and a kind of cultural hub. Can you tell us about the origin story of the gallery and the decision to extend Signal Festival’s ethos into a permanent space?
When we started Signal Festival in 2013, the idea was simple: bring art out of galleries and into the streets of Prague—show the work of artists we loved. Back then, I was also part of The Macula, one of the first Czech collectives experimenting with large-scale projection mapping, and later Hyperbinary, which we founded to keep pushing digital storytelling. Those experiences shaped my belief that technology could be more than a tool—it could be an artistic language in itself.
Thirteen years later, Signal Festival has grown into one of Europe’s biggest cultural events. But I always felt it was a shame that all this energy and talent would vanish after just a few days. That’s why we created Signal Space: a permanent home, right in the city center, where digital and immersive art can live year-round. For me, it’s about building a cultural hub where artists and audiences can meet, experiment, and come back to again and again.
The theme of the inaugural exhibition, Echoes of Tomorrow, feels like it is deeply connected to the ethos and philosophy that Signal Space is built upon. What criteria guided your selection of the eight featured works?
We chose works that deal with time, perception, and the role of technology in shaping how we see the world. Some are poetic, some are technically daring, but each of them feels necessary. I wanted Echoes of Tomorrow to be more than a collection of strong pieces—it had to work as a conversation. Each artwork amplifies the others, so together they create one coherent journey for the visitor.
Could you share an example of an artwork that captures what you are trying to do at Signal Space?
It’s honestly hard to single one out, because each artwork brings something unique. Some are more intimate, others more monumental. Some lean on technology, others on atmosphere and storytelling. What excites me is how different they are, yet together they form a balanced experience—spectacle, yes, but always grounded in human emotion. That diversity is exactly what we want Signal Space to stand for. But there is one work I went back to more than once during the super busy festival days, and that was intangible #form by Shohei Fujimoto.
Image credit: Martin Vronsky
Immersive spaces often walk a line between spectacle and substance – how are you ensuring Signal Space offers more than just “Instagram moments”?
We’ve all seen spaces that are just photo backdrops. That’s not what we’re doing. Every exhibition is curated with dramaturgy in mind—the pacing, the way one room leads to another, the atmosphere. Visitors are welcome to take photos, of course, but the deeper goal is reflection. I want people leaving the gallery still thinking about what they saw the next day, not just scrolling through their phone gallery.
Magnetic Magazine has a strong interest in the intersection of music and art. What role do you envision for sound, live performances, and DJ sets within the gallery’s curatorial vision moving forward?
Sound has always been part of Signal’s DNA. With Signal Space, we now have a controlled environment to push that further. Some pieces in Echoes of Tomorrow already use sound as a sculptural element. And looking ahead, we’ll bring in live sets, experimental concerts, even club nights where visuals and music are truly integrated. For me, the most exciting moments are when sound and image blur, and you can’t tell which is leading.
Echoes of Tomorrow has been described as a “manifesto.” What statement are you hoping this exhibition makes?
That digital art is serious art. It’s not decoration, and it’s not just for Instagram. It’s a language of our time, one that can be as profound and moving as painting, film, or sculpture. The manifesto is simple: this work belongs at the center of culture, not on the margins.
From a sustainability standpoint, how do you envision Signal Space supporting artists?
We know artists need more than a stage. They need fair production budgets, technical expertise, and curatorial support. Signal Space is built to provide that. And because we have an international network through the festival, we can help extend the life of their work through touring and co-productions. My hope is that for young artists, Signal Space becomes both a launchpad and a support system. That is also why we built a concept called Czechbox, which is our platform dedicated to emerging Czech artists. It gives them space to experiment, present new work, and grow alongside established names in the digital art scene, and we have found sponsors to fully support their exhibitions in our space.
What excites you most about where digital culture is heading, and what keeps you cautious?
What excites me is that new tools—AI, generative design, immersive tech—are expanding the language of art faster than ever. Artists are finding ways to express complex ideas through direct sensory experience. I deeply value the scientific curiosity many of them bring to their process, and how conscious they are of the social and environmental challenges we face. What makes me cautious is the speed. There’s a risk of hype overwhelming substance, and of technology driving the art instead of the other way around. At Signal Space, our role is to filter and champion what has lasting cultural value.
After Echoes of Tomorrow closes, what can audiences expect for future exhibitions at Signal Space?
We’ll rotate exhibitions every six months. Some will be group shows, others might spotlight a single artist or theme. Each will feel fresh, and each will ask different questions. What I can promise is that no two visits will be the same—Signal Space is built to keep evolving.
Lastly, what advice would you give young people who want to become full-time artists, and is there a way to submit projects for consideration?
My advice is: don’t wait for permission. Start small, experiment, share your work, and find your community. Every project, even the imperfect ones, helps you grow your voice. Signal Space is not just about established names. It’s also about finding the next generation and giving them a platform.
Learn more about Signal Space here.
The post “This Isn’t an Exhibtion, It’s a Manifesto”: Signal Space, A New Permanent Gallery for Digital and Transmedia Art, is Opening in Prague appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.