Prague, Oct 26 (CTK) – The 19. Designblok international design festival opened in Prague’s Exhibition Grounds (Vystaviste), featuring work of a record number of 304 designers, brands, studios and art schools, Designblok director Jana Zielinski has told journalists.
The festival focuses on the theme of food this year and it also offers 17 fashion shows as well as tens of installations by fashion designers and jewellery makers. It is open through October 30.
“The theme of food is entwined in all exhibition halls directly through ‘gastronomic stations,’ as well as through installations by individual designers and brands,” Zielinski said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Designerie,” a playful landscape of perceptions revolving around the theme of food, designed by Maxim Velcovsky and Veronika Jirouskova, was created in the middle of Vystaviste’s Industrial Palace.
“This year it was designed as a huge sweet shop with gigantic cakes, carousels that visitors can ride seated on iconic Vitra brand chairs, houses by H3T Architects, a jumping Mount Rip, candyfloss or gingerbread hearts decorated by Czech illustrators,” Zielinska said.
The right wing of the palace will host the traditional Superstudio presenting novelties by Czech brands, such as Brokis, Bomma, Krehky, Kavaliergalss, Ton and the recently restored Ruckl brand. Foreign brands will include Artemide, Vitra and Ittala.
Designers’ and students’ exhibitions will be on display in the left wing of the palace in a section called Openstudio.
A fashion show by Ukrainian designer Yana Chervinska and jewellery maker Marketa Kratochvilova will be the peak of the fashion section.
An international competition called Diploma Selection will be held for the fourth time within the festival. A total of 152 artists from 42 schools and 17 countries will participate in it and 13 finalists’ works will be presented in an exhibition or a fashion show.
Designblok has been organised annually since 1999.
