The founding of the Finnish ARTEK group (art + tekniikka, art + technology) in 1935 was initiated by Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils Gustav Hahl with the idea of “selling furniture and promoting modern housing culture through exhibitions and other activities“. The function and aesthetics of ARTEK’s furniture was based on the original idea of Aalto’s L-system, designing the bent-faced glued plywood, with which the designer had been experimenting for several years to achieve optimum elasticity and strength in load. In his invention, dozens of unique and timeless pieces were created – chairs, chairs, tables, sofas. The export of furniture to Czechoslovakia by the company took place since 1937, in cooperation with the Brno architect František Kalivoda (1913–1971), who acted as a general representative of the company. The promotion and sale took place mainly through the Prague and Brno AKA stores (founded in 1932 by Brno architect Bohuslav Fuchs with his family). In this way, Kalivoda realized his ideas of international co-operation and spreading of the international style.
Jindřich Chatrný (*1965)
A graduate of the Faculty of Arts of the Masaryk University in Brno; since 1983 he has been working in the Brno City Museum, since 2004 as the curator of the collections and the head of the History of Architecture Department. His exhibition and publishing activities mainly focus on architecture and furniture design of the first half of the 20th century, such as: Bedřich Rozehnal, Josef Polášek, Jindřich Kumpošt, Jan Vaněk, Jiří Kroha (with M. Macharáčková), For A New Brno – Brno Architecture 1919–1939 (with L. Kudělková); publications: Jan Vaněk 1891–1962. Civilized housing for everyone. Brno 2010; Orbis pictus Bohuslava Fuchse / von Bohuslav Fuchs / de Bohuslav Fuchs / of Bohuslav Fuchs. Brno 2012 (with D. Černoušková and P. Seitlová).
RESERVATIONS AND TICKET SALE:
Entry: 100 CZK, concession: 50 CZK
Reservation required here or at info@tugendhat.eu.