Course detail

Fine Art in Brno Architecture (1948–1989)

FaVU-VUBAI-ZAcad. year: 2023/2024

The course is aimed at introducing important Brno personalities from the ranks of visual artists and architects, whose activity falls into the period between 1948-1989. Specifically, the development of cooperation between architects and artists during the period of the fading international style, socialist realism of the 1950s, creative relaxation of the 1960s and the period of normalization in Czechoslovakia will be presented. Attention will also be paid to the activities of union organisations and the legislative anchoring of mutual cooperation between artists and architects - that is, the cultural and political climate of post-war Czechoslovakia, whose development had a major impact on the so-called official creation. The semester-long teaching will include an excursion, the form of which will take the form of a guided tour in situ. 

 

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

Basic knowledge of the development of official art and architecture in Czechoslovakia. General cultural overview. 

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The course is completed by an exam based on study materials submitted via MS Teams (PPT presentations, study literature).

Teaching takes place in the classrooms of the KTDU FFA BUT in the hours determined by the schedule. Participation in the classes is not compulsory. 

 

Aims

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the work of important Brno artists and architects of the second half of the 20th century, with special emphasis on the institutional and legislative background of the time. Brno's architectural and visual arts realisations will be set in the broader context of tendencies such as the International Style, Socialist Realism and Post-War Modernism. 

 


Students will gain introductory level of insight into developments of post-war Brno fine arts and architecture. They will be capable of identifying stylistic features of international architecture and fine arts on the examples taken from Brno. The will know important authors, both from the fields of architecture and fine arts and they will know theoretical frameworks of interpretation and evaluation of post-war cultural heritage.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Koryčánek, Rostislav et al., Na prahu zítřka: brněnská architektura a vizuální kultura období socialismu. Brno: Fakulty výtvarných umění VUT 2014. (CS)

Recommended reading

Bartková, Růžena: K životnímu jubileu Vladimíra Meduny. Architektura ČSR XLIII, 1984, č. 8, s. 366–368. (CS)
Benešová, Marie: Fakultní nemocnice v Brně. Architektura ČSR XLIII, 1984, č. 4, s. 146–152. (CS)
Brzezinová, Andrea – Zahrádka, Jiří (eds.): Inez Tuschnerová (1932–2015). Brno: Moravská galerie 2018. (CS)
Crhonek, Iloš (ed.): Brno v architektuře a výtvarném umění. Brno: Blok 1981. (CS)
Crhonek, Iloš: Školy jihomoravského kraje 1945–1970. Brno: Odbor školství Jihomoravského krajského úřadu v Brně 1971. (CS)
Čubrda, Zdeněk: Miloš Axman. Praha: Odeon 1988. (CS)
Čubrda, Zdeněk: Výtvarní umělci Jihomoravského kraje 1985. Výstava ke 40. výročí osvobození Československa sovětskou armádou (kat. výst.). Brno: Dům umění města Brna 1985. (CS)
Dvořáková, Nina – Malina, Jaroslav. Zdeněk Macháček. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM 2005. (CS)
Gabrielová, Bronislava: Expozice Jiřího Marka – podnět k hodnocení jeho tvorby. Bulletin Moravské galerie LV, 1999, s. 157–161. (CS)
Gabrielová, Bronislava – Marčák, Bohumil (eds.): Sylva Lacinová. Brno: Moravská galerie Brno a Město Brno 1996. (CS)
Guzdek, Adam: Brněnský fenomén Lesná. Brno: Nakladatelství VUTIUM 2021. (CS)
Haimann, Petr: Architektura a výtvarné umění v Brně. Architektura ČSR XLIII, 1984, č. 8, s. 351–354. (CS)
Havránek, Vít (ed.), Bruselský sen. Československá účast na světové výstavě Expo 58 v Bruselu a životní styl 1. poloviny 60 let, Praha: GHMP – Arbor vitae 2008. (CS)
Chatrný, Jindřich et al. eds.: Evropan Adolf Loos. Nejen brněnské stopy. Brno: Muzeum města Brna – Fakulta výtvarných umění VUT 2020. (CS)
Klíma, Petr (ed.): Kotvy Máje. České obchodní domy 1965–1975. Praha: Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová v Praze 2011. (CS)
Klíma, Petr (ed.): Růžena Žertová: architektka domů i věcí. Praha: Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová v Praze 2016. (CS)
Konečná, Alena: O sochařském díle Františka Šenka (1914–1997). Bulletin Moravské galerie LIV, 1998, s. 125–128. (CS)
Maleček, Martin – Valentová, Veronika – Jeřábek, Miroslav (eds.): Lesná – 50 let sídliště. Brno: Občanské sdružení Obzor Lesná, 2012. (CS)
Pechar, Josef: Československá architektura 1945–1977. Praha: Odeon 1979. (CS)
Pechar, Josef: Třicet let architektury socialistického Československa. Architektura ČSR XXXIV, 1975, č. 4, s. 165–180. Pechar, Josef: Třicet let architektury socialistického Československa. Architektura ČSR XXXIV, 1975, č. 4, s. 165–180. (CS)
Pelčák, Petr (ed.): Viktor Rudiš. Stavby a projekty 1953–2002. Brno: Obecní dům 2005. (CS)
Petišková, Tereza: Československý socialistický realismus 1948–1958. Praha: Gallery 2002. (CS)
Rudiš, Viktor: Ósaka. Pocta České komory architektů 2010. Praha: Česká komora architektů, 2011. (CS)
Svobodová Šárka, Nechtěné dědictví: architekt Jan Dvořák (1925–1998). Brno: Fakulta výtvarných umění VUT 2017. (CS)
Sylvestrová, Marta (ed.): Mr. Brno – Rajlich 100 (kat. výst.). Brno: Moravská galerie 2020. (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme DES_M Master's, 1. year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme VUM Master's

    branch VU-D , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-D , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-D , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 1. year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme DES_M Master's, 2. year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme VUM Master's

    branch VU-D , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-D , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-D , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-VT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective
    branch VU-IDT , 2. year of study, winter semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

24 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. From Brno's interwar modernism to the founding of Stavoprojekt (Adolf Loos and Brno, Bytová kultura magazine, collaboration V. H. Mach, Eduard Milén and František Kaláb with interwar architects) 2. Presentation of the union organizations and their official periodicals (Union of Czechoslovak Visual Artists, Union of Czechoslovak Architects, Czech Fine Arts Fund), staging of a creative discussion of Emil Filla's work by the members of the SČSVU on 21 June 1951 3. Socialist realism in Brno architecture and monumental work: introduction of the concept of socialist realism on the examples of Brno construction (Vilém Kuba) and the work of local architects active outside Brno (Jiří Kroha, Vladimír Meduna) 4. Important sculptors of socialist realism in Brno: Vincenc Makovský, Miloš Axman, Konrád Babraj, Sylva Lacinová 5. From Khrushchev's criticism of ornamentation in architecture to post-war modernism: the influence of Expo 58 and socialist Gesamtkunstwerk, the reverberation of socialist realism and examples of experimental housing construction in Brno 6. "Brno – the city of exhibitions and fairs" (renewal of the Brno Exhibition Centre, construction of new pavilions and accommodation for visitors to fairs, case study of the Hotel International) 7. Legislative anchoring of visual decoration in architecture (Government Resolution No. 355/1963 and its implementing instructions), the role of the Regional Art Commissions of the Czech Fine Arts Fund in awarding contracts, case study of the Lesná housing estate 8. Viktor Rudiš and František Zounek (Stavoprojekt Brno), Růžena Žertová, Zdeněk Řihák (State Project Institute of Trade) 9. Miroslav Spurný, Jan Dvořák, Ivan Ruller 10. Sylva Lacinová, Ynez Tuschnerová, Tamara Divišková 11. Significant artists of post-war modernism in Brno II: Jiří Marek, Ladislav Martínek, Zdeněk Macháček, František Šenk 12. Important Artists of Postwar Modernism in Brno III: Jan Rajlich Sr. and the Brno Biennial 13. Field trip

Field trip

2 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer