The book as image. Publishers and artists of the Czech avant-garde (1920-1930)

The musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design pursues its annual cycle, inaugurated in 2014, dedicated to decorative Arts and design collectors and invites, for this 4th edition, Pierre Ponant, graphic design historian and critic, to present his collection of Czech books from the period between the two world wars.

From Rondocubism to Dadaist collage and photomontage, the covers of novels published in Prague in those years reflect the major currents that shaped the history of 20th century art. In addition to the work of multidisciplinary artists like Josef Čapek, Karel Teige and Adolf Hoffmeister, the exhibition highlights the key role of publishers in the quest of new relations between the text and the image, and the new typographic experiments.
Visitors travel back in the artistic context of Prague in the early twentieth century : drawings, paintings, movies, posters and photographs suggest the effervesence of the city, when grow all the artistic avant-gardes.
For this exhibition, Pierre Ponant has compiled a collection of more than 100 of these books. Paintings, drawings, engravings and furniture on loan from the Prague Museum of Decorative Arts (Umprum), the Moravska Galerie in Brno and Galerie Le Minotaure (Paris) complete this rare panorama of graphic design.

Pierre Ponant's books and magazines of the Czech avant-garde resonate with today's graphic design. The emergence of experimental ways of publishing, the invention of new print processes and the raise of a new generation of authors and graphic designers echo the artistic blooming of Prague at the beginning of the last century. A conference day, in collaboration with the École supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux (Bordeaux school of fine arts), supported by the Czech centre in Paris, will involve contemporary actors of the graphic design scene: the discussions will be centred around the notions of conceptual heritage, multilingualism and new technological processes, which redefine today's production.

AROUND THE EXHIBITION

kids / teenagers / schoolchildren / students

• Workshop "Fanzine" - (Winter holidays)
Wednesdays, 14 and 21 February, from 10 am to 5 pm
From 8 yo • Space limited / registration recommended
As a part of the exhibition The book as image, the museum and the association Disparate propose two daily workshops about the Fanzine and micro publishing. The participants are invited to create a "fanatic magazine" by drawing their inspiration from graphics and photomontage techniques as shown on the books on display.

• A graphic design workshop space for the kids in the exhibition 
6 / 11 yo: Children can custom the cover of their game booklet like these avant-garde artists.

• Activities and guided tours for schoolchildren and students during the exhibition.

Information and registration: +33 (0)5 56 10 14 05 / artdeco.publics@mairie-bordeaux.fr

Projections of Czech avant-garde films
Prague Shining in Lights (1928) by Svatopluk Innemann and Aimless Walk (1930) by Alexandr Hackenschmied. Representing the cultural dynamic of the Czechoslovakian capital, these city movies belong to a new genre, between the documentary and the experimental movie. Like in book publishing, film makers were influenced by the different avant-garde European movements.

Children's films projections

A day-long conference
8 march 2018 from 10 am
A conference day, in collaboration with the Ecole supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux (Bordeaux school of fine arts), supported by the Czech centre in Paris, will involve contemporary actors of the graphic design scene: the discussions will be centred around the notions of conceptual heritage, multilingualism and new technological processes, which redefine today's production.

Jeudis du musée A theme, a meeting, a drink
In the occasion of the exhibition, the museum invites the public, every Thursday at 7 pm to listen to the intervention of an actor in the world of decorative arts or design or to attend a presentation of a specific theme related to the collections. This meeting will be followed by a drink offered by the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, partners of les Jeudis du madd. The program will be available soon.
These events are organized by the Friends of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design.
Prices: free for students / 5€ for members of the Friends of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design / 8€ for non-members Registration: only by reservation (space limited) to +33 (0)5 56 10 14 04 / c.boubila@mairie-bordeaux.fr
The Jeudis du musée are organized with the support of Les Galeries Lafayette.
The Jeudis du design are part of a partnership with l’École supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux.

Guided tours
Individuals
Except school holidays: Saturdays and Sundays at 3 pm
Price: museum ticket + 3€ - Without registration

Groups
All year round: On demand > 10 people (only on weekdays)
During school holidays:
Everyday at 3 pm, except on Tuesday
Price: museum ticket + 3€ - Without registration
Prices: 50€ + 3€ per person during the week / 65€ + 3€ per person during the week-end
Registration: +33 (0)5 56 10 14 05 / artdeco.publics@mairie-bordeaux.fr
Guided tours (groups or individuals) in English on demand.

Guide booklet in English

Graphic design
Christophe Jacquet

Christophe Jacquet has chosen to enter into a graphic and visual dialogue with these artists of the Czech avant-garde. It is more a tribute to these artists, rather than a play with their writings and graphic productions.
Christophe Jacquet has mainly used « the orange color, symbol of urgency and intellectual thought and the pink color for pleasure”.
The Union font, used for “L’image-livre” (The book as image), has been designed by the contemporary Czech designer Radim Peško.

Biography: Christophe Jacquet is a multidisciplinary artist who has developed a radical aesthetic through the pioneering use of computers and scanners, pushing the parameters of graphic design and photography. He has exhibited works at CalArts, the Triennale di Milano, the Cneai= and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and at the Institut Français d’Alger. In 2004, a monographic exhibition of his work, Reproduction Générale, was held at the International Poster and Graphic Design Festival of Chaumont. He teaches at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Art et de Design de Nancy.

The museum would like to thank 

Château Haut-Bailly,
mécène d’honneur

Centre tchèque de Paris
EBABX - Ecole d'Enseignement Supérieur d'Art de Bordeaux
Farrow&Ball distribué par Sorain&Styles
Samsung
 

For their fidelity, the museum wants also to thank 
Château Nairac
Le Chapon fin
Les Amis du musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design
Les Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, partenaires des Jeudis du musée 
Les Galeries Lafayette, soutien essentiel des Jeudis du musée 
Société de négoce DIVA
Station Ausone, partenaire média
Texaa®