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