Czechia needs a strategy for how to promote its design, says UMPRUM vice-rector
On the backdrop of the ongoing Czech EU presidency, a special exhibition titled: “Design and transformation. Stories of Czech design 1990-2020” is currently on display at the Design Museum Brussels. The exhibition serves not just as an opportunity to show beautiful Czech designs and the stories of selected brands, but also as a much-needed call for a unified strategy of how to present Czech product design abroad. I spoke to one of the key figures behind the exhibition - the Vice-Rector of the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague Radek Sidun.
“This exhibition was prepared for the occasion of the Czech EU presidency and it is for that reason that we chose to follow this political and economic aspect of our disciplines. By this I mean design or production that is in some way connected with design.
“We followed the stories of 14 brands and companies that show their processes and history because, of course, Czechia, or Czechoslovakia to be more precise, had a few ups and downs both politically and economically.
“Through these stories, we show how these companies developed and dealt with those issues and what sorts of challenges they faced during production.
“This exhibition also shows their current products because these companies do still exist and are still very active in the fields of design and production.”
Just to be clear, the exhibition’s subtitle is “Stories of Czech Design: 1990-2020”. So does that mean since the Velvet Revolution, or does it go further back?
“We presented the big brands, such as Škoda Auto for instance, as well as some smaller ones like a shoe brand, which is rather small but represents the whole shoe industry.”
“No, the objects and products that we exhibit have been made over the past 30 years, so since the Velvet Revolution.”
Could you give me a few examples of the companies that you chose to present?
“We presented the big brands, such as Škoda Auto for instance, as well as some smaller ones like a shoe brand, which is rather small but represents the whole shoe industry.
“Speaking of the big stories, the Škoda car I think is a pretty good example. The original company started before the First World War. There were several subsequent changes, including the Communists taking it over. Then, in the 1990s, the company transformed and is now a part of Volkswagen Group. I think it’s an example of a successful transformation.”
Why Czechia needs its own design promotion strategy
The exhibition opened in the Prague House in Brussels in September as well as in the Design Museum Brussels, where it will be on show until January 8 next year. What has the response been so far from people working in design across Europe?
“This exhibition is something that we have been waiting for for ages. I think it’s the first step in promoting our products and showing what we can actually do.
“I don’t really care so much about what designers will say about it. Rather, I am very keen to hear the general feedback on this project from companies, but also from the authorities, such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade, who have been quite silent since it opened.”
So from what you are saying it sounds like this exhibition is mainly a chance for Czech design to present itself in Europe. What would be your ideal outcome of this exhibition?
“I am speaking about a strategy, some long or mid-term strategy regarding how we promote our products, as many other countries do all over Europe but we don’t.”
“The best thing that could happen is if this exhibition served as a kind of trigger for the local authorities and government ministries that have design and production within their competencies, meaning that they would have to prepare a concept of how we want to present the products that we make and work on.
“I am speaking about a strategy, some long or mid-term strategy regarding how we promote our products, as many other countries do all over Europe but we don’t.”
So you basically want to give Czech design its signature style with which it can present itself abroad, is that right?
“Yes. It’s as simple as that.”
Can you give some examples of other countries that you think are successfully promoting their products and what it is that you would like Czechia to emulate in this regard?
“When you go to big European design festivals like in Milan or Eindhoven in the Netherlands, you often see some sort of state presentation, for example those of Poland. They show what they do and present themselves every year and you can see their progress as well as being constantly reminded of the quality of what they do.
“On that topic the best example could perhaps be Denmark. After the Second World War, it was a small country. They were not very well known in the field of design. It’s thanks to their strategy and the ongoing processes that we can now talk about some sort of ‘Danish design’. It’s something that everybody recognises.”
It sounds like you have thought about this quite a lot, so tell me: How would you profile Czech design? What would be the aspects that you would focus on?
“Oh, that’s a very tricky question. But, since we are speaking about this exhibition, our exhibit shows that Czech designers, as well as the countries brands and companies, can be very creative.
“I mean it's creative in dealing with the difficult situations that we’ve been through. I am speaking of stability and the progress that you need for sustainable growth of the business.
“These designers, over the past several decades, had to deal with a very difficult situation and very often they succeeded.”
By difficult situation, you mean economically or financially, right?
“Economically, financially and this is somehow connected with politics of course because after the Velvet Revolution we entered into the wild capitalism of the 1990s which was a totally different situation and no one really knew how to do business in this new environment.
“We were under pressure from international brands and still are of course because we are not as economically strong as the others and so on.
“There are so many problems that we have to deal with and it’s this sort of creativity of how we deal with this situation and advance past it that, I think, is quite typical of Czech people and Czech designers.”
Is there some company or exhibit that you chose to display at the exhibition that especially illustrates the point you have just been making?
“I’ve already mentioned that we focus on following some sort of historical line with this exhibition. However, we are also exhibiting companies and brands that are new.
“For instance, we are exhibiting a company called Linet that makes hospital beds as well as Prusa, which deals with 3D printers. These companies started doing business after the Velvet Revolution, but thanks to their unique technological solutions and inventions, thanks to their very innovative approach, they became world leaders in their disciplines.”
Working in the intersection between art and business
Speaking of history, that of your own school –UPRUM – goes back quite some time as well. What is it like working in the intersection between artistic design and design that is specifically targeted for business? I guess you can’t just be a pure artist but have to look for a middle ground somewhere in between these two things, right?
“People often think that we are mostly connected with culture, but this school is mostly connected with industry.
“However, most of the disciplines here – design, product design, architecture, graphic design – are connected with industrial work, with proper business.
“It is good to see it from this perspective. Namely, that our disciplines belong to the applied arts meaning that there are some processes that are very much organised and have to adapt to situations in production as well.”
Your exhibition looks at how Czech design evolved since 1990 to 2020. How did UPRUM evolve during this period and what is your university’s role now when it comes to helping Czech design break through?
“UMPRUM always played an important role because our teachers and professors are the key people in design production, as well as our graduates as well.
“This school is actually very dynamic, but what we are desperately looking for is some support from industry because we are kind of alone.
“In the past, in the 1920s for instance, UMPRUM was very active in presenting the state.”
“I think that some companies expect that this is something the government should do and that they will just pay us and we will work for everyone. However, I think that without some sort of private input, without close cooperation with companies and brands it is very difficult.
“These companies must realise that we work for them. Our graduates are the people who will work for them, so we are desperately looking for their help.”
What seems to be coming through from what you are saying is that this exhibition also serves as a big chance for UMPRUM and Czech designers to get the attention they need in order to be able to make necessary improvements?
“Yes, naturally. Of course, we get some attention because this school has prepared this exhibition.
“Historically, this is not a new thing. In the past, in the 1920s for instance, UMPRUM was very active in presenting the state. Back then there were these famous world exhibitions like the [International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts] in Paris in 1925, where Czechoslovakia received many awards.
“We know that we have to promote ourselves and we spoke to the state authorities saying that this is something that we need. They didn’t really listen.”
“This was also connected to UMPRUM because this was a state organised exhibition and it was designed and prepared by the teachers here. The products that were exhibited were mostly designed by the teachers and professors at UMPRUM, so it is not a new thing that our school is preparing projects such as these.
“We know that we have to promote ourselves and we spoke to the state authorities saying that this is something that we need. They didn’t really listen. But now, the EU presidency posits a great chance to prepare such a project and I hope this is just the start of it.”
Aside from UMPRUM, the exhibition "Design and transformation. Stories of Czech design 1990-2020" was co-organised by the Moravian Gallery in Brno, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Czech Republic’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. More information about it can be found here: https://brussels.czechcentres.cz/en/blog/2022/09/design-a-transformace
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