Course detail

Fine Art in Brno Architecture (1948–1989) 1

FaVU-VUBAI-ZAcad. year: 2021/2022

The lectures focus on the cooperation of notable Brno-based architects and fine artists who designed both individual buildings and urban complexes in 1948 - 1989. Special attention will be paid to the activities of artists' and architects' unions and the legislative framework of the artist-architect cooperation. The lectures will introduce key architects and artists active in the cultural and political context of post-war Czechoslovakia. The lectures will also trace the development of this cooperation on the background of political/cultural changes: socialist realism of the 1950s, the thaw of the 1960s, the so-called "normalization" period of post-1968 occupied Czechoslovakia. Two field trips will be arranged during the semester which will connect on-site research with a guided tour in front of the "originals". One lecture will be held by an invited speaker specializing on the period of Czechoslovak socialist realism.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Mgr. Jana Kořínková, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Art History and Theory (KTDU)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

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.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of the history of post-bellum architecture. General cultural knowledge.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching is structured as a combination of lectures and field trips.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Exam (written test).

Course curriculum

1. Introduction: from the Brno interwar modern to the establishment of Stavoprojekt
2. Introduction of the artists' unions and their publishing activities (The Union of Czechoslovak Fine Artists, The Union of Czechoslovak Architects, The Czech Fund of Fine Art, Dílo)
3. Socialist realism in Brno architecture
4. Czechoslovak socialist realism - lecture by an external expert
5. Notable architects working in the style of socialist realism in Brno
6. notable sculptors working in the style of socialist realism in Brno
7. From Khrushcev's critique of decorativism in architecture to Brno post-war modern: the last projects in the style of socialist realism, examples of experimental housing estate projects
8. Filed trip 1> socialist realism and experimental housing estate projects in Brno
9. "Brno - the trade fairs capital" (reconstruction of the trade fair grounds and the international hotels
10. Legislative anchoring of art decoration in architecture (the government resolution no. 355/1963 and the consequent regulations)
11. Notable architects of the Brno modern (Spurný, Ruller, Dvořák, Řihák, etc)
12. Notable artists of the Brno postwar modern (Jan Rajlich sen., Lacinová, Marek, Martínek, Macháček, etc)

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The course focuses on the institutional and legislative background of architectonic and artistic projects in Brno realized in the postwar period; these will be put into a broder context of socialist ralism and the international modern.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Attendance not compulsory

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Type of course unit

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Jana Kořínková, Ph.D.

Seminar

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Jana Kořínková, Ph.D.