Hej rup! The Czech Avant-Garde

In 1918, a new democratic state was founded in Europe: Czechoslovakia. In the years that followed, a general spirit of optimism quickly spread: artists from almost all fields developed visionary ideas, which they were also able to realize due to the rapid economic upswing. In the interwar period, Czechoslovakia played a decisive role, especially in progressive and modern building. The lively exchange of the Czech art scene with foreign countries stands out in particular. The Czech avant-garde movement infused not only the visual arts, i.e. painting, sculpture, graphics, photography and design, but also architecture, literature, poetry, music, theater and film. The exhibition at the Bröhan-Museum aims to highlight the international significance of the Czech avant-garde movement and to connect the different fields in which new creative ideas spread.

Advertising motif: Karel Teige/Karel Paspa/ Vítežslav Nezval/ Milča Mayerová: letters of the „Abeceda“, 1926, Museum of Czech Literature, Prague. Karel E. Ort: armchair, c. 1931, Bröhan-Museum, Berlin. photo: Colya Zucker. Design: Gerwin Schmidt, 2023