Nová Perla

HOW IT WAS

10 years completely different
This Pearl is not the first... (continued)

Message from Czech Mordor
Nová Nová Perla has grown in the valley of the Křinice river, dividing the Erzgebirge and Lusatian Mountains in the tri-border area of the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. The site also lies between natural parks that span an area with the most dramatic geological and human history in Europe. For hundreds of millions of years, masses of rock have wrestled with the elements on their way across the Earth's crust, creating the breathtaking landscape of the Bohemian and Saxon Mordor. But this struggle bewitched the human tribes living on its hardened shell, and they then jostled for centuries over the long, rolling terrain between the two great fertile plains. And it was here that the Nová Perla found its home in the over a hundred-year-old site of a thread factory - a remnant of the great wave of German industrialisation, of which very little remains today. The German population and reminders of its technical and architectural modernity were swept away by the post-war wave of Czech anger - retaliation for their expulsion and the unleashing of a terrible war. This story is, of course, more complex. The post-war development of the border region began with Balkan looting, along with the destruction of reminders of the indigenous population, and continued with a very unsuccessful resettlement by a disparate population, few of whom feel truly at home here. Because of the historylessness in which the new inhabitants find themselves, and the lack of connection to the territory in which they live, they unconsciously and deliberately give it back a feudal character. The ruins of early modernity seem out of place. This factory has been threatened with demolition several times.

A place for arts, sciences and crafts
The Nová Perla, however, decided to save what was left of Robert Solomon's factory and transform the entire site into an independent and self-sufficient international haven, a paradise on earth. Our concept of creation is a loose continuation of "great work", an intertwining of education, art, consideration and the desire for freedom. As in the previous Nová Perla project in Vrané nad Vltavou, we will bring together creators of all forms of visual art, authors of literature, theatre and film, representatives of selected disciplines and practical skills.

Independence
Nová Perla was initiated and supported by the Divus publishing house. The idea of this experiment is the result of the thinking that has shaped the work of its editorial team, the books it publishes, the magazines Divus and Umělec, and the international association of theorists and artists Eastern Alliance for several decades. These initiatives have involved many extraordinary personalities from the fields of art, literature and science, who, alongside their expertise, have always stressed the independence of creative, scientific and critical approaches. This is the only way to achieve a true account of the world, even in the most abstract and strange metaphors.

Self-sufficiency
Nová Perla's idea of self-sufficiency comes from the experience of its founders. Its basic sources come from the combination of art, science, craft and production in one place, surrounded by utilitarian and ornamental greenery. Nová Perla is a gallery with residential studios and a publishing house with a graphic studio, a print shop, a craft workshop, a bookstore, and a restaurant. It is in the middle of a garden and park, and has three own sources of drinking water. It uses alternative renewable energy sources and strives for complete recycling.
At Nová Perla, we work in partnership with neighbouring initiatives or businesses and cover a large part of our needs in a non-financial way. We strive to spread friendship and collegiality in the neighbourhood, as this is the only way something good can be created and sustained. Because natural resources are vital for self-sufficiency, we are respectful of the surrounding nature and support the local ecosystem through education and active conservation.
The financial source of Nová Perla's operation is income from Divus Publishing, the Perla Café, the bookstore, workshop and studio rentals, gallery space, residential studios, and other shared indoor and outdoor spaces when not in use by us or visiting artists.

Cosmopolitan
Nová Perla is a meeting place for artists from all over the world in an unusual space in the midst of a beautiful landscape habitat, as well as a permanent, temporary and safe haven for creators and a free platform for the presentation of their work and opinions. This is mainly the responsibility of the international circle of collaborators of Divus Publishing and the Eastern Alliance with their experience in disseminating science and culture in many languages.

Factory - Lighthouse
The main and iconic building of the Nová Perla, built around 1910, which with its tower resembles a seaside castle with a lighthouse, has housed a gallery, residential studios and a print shop. A large glass conservatory will soon be built on the site of the connected annex - a former steel warehouse. The main building can be entered by an east entrance from the street, a south entrance through the conservatory and two west entrances, a door from the tower and a door from the print shop opening onto the courtyard. Visitors and residents of the Nová Perla can also enjoy the large terrace on the roof of the factory building, the pool at the top of the tower created from the former water reservoir, and view the breathtaking landscape from the lookout above.

Café with bookstore
A café with a terrace, a bookshop, a library, an editorial office, a studio and two apartments were built in the former shop. The basis of this part of Nová Perla is a square building built between the world wars, rebuilt in the 1980s as a massive building with a gable roof, in which the sales area was extended, a living loft and a large preparation room with two warehouses and supply ramps were added. The café offers a large variety of beverages from small regional producers and food prepared from the produce of area growers and farmers. The large kitchen is well equipped and always produces fresh and healthy meals without the use of chemical ingredients or processed foods.
In the library and bookstore you can read and buy books and magazines published by Divus in several languages, books by other selected publishers and publications about the region and its history.
In addition to its usual publishing schedule, the Divus editorial office publishes the quarterly newspaper Perla with a cultural programme of gallery, cinema, theatre and other events accompanied by related pictorial documentation, articles and excerpts from literature. Studio Divus provides all publishing, editorial and graphic services to the public in addition to work for its own publishing house and printing house. It provides assistance to those interested in using the graphics workshop.

Park
We transform the overgrown ruins of already demolished buildings and their surroundings into an ornamental park. A small water feature with a pier will be created from a local swamp created by runoff from wells and springs. We planted new fruit trees and shrubs. The park will be based on native trees and plants, supplemented by species suitable for the local cooler climate. The park will also become a small educational botanical garden.

Garden
Nová Perla's outdoor garden and indoor conservatory are important sources of its own fruit, vegetables and herbs and a great support for self-sufficiency and independence. The harvest is processed by the café and surpluses are offered to nearby buyers. Even the outdoor garden uses native regional and hardy crops. In contrast, the winter garden will supplement fruits that require a permanent climate.

Resources, energy, savings and waste-free management
Nová Perla has three sources of drinking water. Two wells - one in each building - and a hundred and fifty metre deep borehole filled with water from the granite bedrock. For irrigation of the gardens, it uses rainwater retained in uncovered and covered tanks and treated wash water using non-hazardous substances.
The Solomon factory's machinery was powered primarily by water. Nothing remains of the sophisticated system of transmissions, shafts and paddle wheels today, but the massive millrace is still there and the winter water flow is sufficient to power the recently uncovered nine-metre diameter waterwheel with a power output of several dozen kilowatts. This is enough to light and heat both buildings in the fall and spring, as well as heating fifty percent in the coldest months
The new roof of the factory is capable of supporting solar panels, and even with minimal installation, their output will cover the summer consumption of lighting and water pumps.
At Nová Perla, we will be recycling two types of wastewater. For this purpose, the waste is divided into two branches - two waste installations. The first branch collects water contaminated during all types of controlled washing. Controlled washing involves the use of easily degradable cleaning agents and implies that all washing areas are equipped with them and visitors or guests are made aware of the impossibility of using their own chemicals. This waste water is first flushed into the toilet flush tanks and the excess is flushed into the root treatment plant and then used to irrigate the gardens and the park. The second branch will collect mainly water from the toilets. This water will be treated in its own biological wastewater treatment plant and the treated water will be tested periodically and also used for irrigation.
We are striving to achieve complete zero-waste management and therefore avoid accepting any disposable or difficult to recycle packaging. All products generated at Nová Perla or their packaging are based on paper, natural textiles, metal or wood.
Nová Perla is a revolution by example. The realization of a vision grown from the dreams, donations and efforts of the last decades, thousands of hours of volunteer work by friends and supporters.

Nová Perla will never give up.