Jana Stepanova, a Prague-based visual artist and designer, participated in a three-month residency in Zurich by a Swiss foundation ProHelvetia (June–August 2010). In her work, Jana often subverts social reality, control and system as well as commonly accepted values by releasing fake websites, magazines or creating fake identities. Recently, the Czech ministry of Labour and Social Affairs had filed criminal charges against her for internet project “rent-a-baby”.

The residency enabled Jana to expand her community-based long-term project United We Stay/Family Map with Swiss families. By engaging local families she explores the Norms and Normatives regulating the society. She started the project in the USA in 2004 and continued than in Germany, Belgium and Czech Republic.

In October 2010, she will present her project in the “Storytelling” show, curated by Dimitrina Sevova in the White Space/Zurich (Opening October 1st, 2010)

Link: http://www.rent-a-baby.cz