Plzeň commemorates native Sutnar, will place a plaque on his birthplace

Plzeň - Plzeň is increasingly embracing the name of its native Ladislav Sutnar, a world-renowned artist. This year, marking the 115th anniversary of his birth, a commemorative plaque will be unveiled at his birthplace. The city council made this decision, as announced by the spokesperson for the city hall, Zdeňka Kubalová. Sutnar was born in Plzeň in 1897 and is considered one of the most significant figures of Czech interwar modernism, as well as a prominent personality in American and world applied art and design. However, many people in Plzeň are not yet familiar with his work.
     The return of Sutnar to his hometown is being pursued not only by Plzeň itself but also by the Institute of Art and Design (ÚUD) of the West Bohemian University. Since last year, the former university gallery in the center has been named after the artist. Once the new ÚUD building is completed this year, it could also be named after Sutnar. Last year, Plzeň received one of his works—a study for a painting from the Venus cycle—from the artist's family. Sutnar's connection with Plzeň could also be part of the city's promotion in the project of European Capital of Culture in 2015.
     The city hall will commission the commemorative plaque along with ÚUD. According to Kubalová, the costs are expected to be 80,000 crowns, with the majority being covered by the city. The plaque will be unveiled in October at the monumentally protected house on Dominikánská Street in the center.
     Sutnar worked in the USA after emigrating, and because he collaborated with the anti-communist exile, the totalitarian regime practically erased him from Czech history for decades. The artist is considered a founder of Czech modern design. He engaged in promoting modern forms of housing and advocated for economical living. In the 1930s, he designed glassware, one of the first industrially manufactured products in Europe, as well as porcelain sets and steel cutlery. These items became the best-selling household goods for the middle classes and won numerous international awards. After 1939, Sutnar remained in the USA, where he later founded modern visual communication, corporate visual styles, and various forms of informational aids in industry, marketing, and the popularization of science and ecology.