In addition to being the birthplace of the artist Alphonse Mucha, what is today the Czech Republic gave rise to Czech Cubism, a unique style that was influenced by French painting. And during the 20th century, the country became renowned for a wealth of alluring designs, including everything from animation to toys. But it was also during the 20th century that designers found themselves at the mercy of war, foreign occupation, and constant changes in the national political situation.
In this exhibition, we introduce some 250 items from the collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, including furniture, commercial products, and posters. The works, displayed in chronological order, not only illustrate the influence of Czech political situation but also those of Europe as a whole on 20th century design.

In post-World War II Poland, which was under a communist regime, a new generation of artists in the mid-1950s moved away from socialist realism and pursued free-form expression especially in the fields of cinema and graphic design. Notably, a number of outstanding designers actively produced film posters, pouring the inspiration they drew from films into richly metaphorical creations. This exhibition presents many works of poster art that emerged from the encounter between these two fields, both of which were termed the "Polish School."

*Some works will be replaced with others while the exhibition is in session.