The exhibition showcases the award-winning works of Czech designers

Prague - The winners of the third year of the Czech Design Academy Awards present their work at an exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts. Designer Jan Čtvrtník was awarded the Czech Grand Design 2008 award on Saturday. The Academy honored him for his vases and seating furniture collection. The exhibition will last until April 13 and will later be presented in Brno as well.
The Czech Grand Design Awards aim, according to their organizers, to draw public attention, both professional and lay, to extraordinary personalities and achievements in the field. The award decision is made by the Czech Design Academy, which has 50 members from among curators, theorists, and journalists in the field. This year, for the first time, international experts were involved in selecting the winners. Among its members, the Academy also included curators from significant foreign museums, and the organizers hope that their participation will increase awareness of contemporary Czech design worldwide.
In addition to the winners of seven categories and the main award, which Čtvrtník received for the highest number of votes given by the academics, the late architect Jan Kaplický was also awarded on Saturday. The Academy allowed him to enter the design hall of fame.
The Fashion Designer of the Year 2008 is Monika Drápalová with her collection Blue (Cache-Cache). The title of Graphic Designer of the Year 2008 was awarded to Robert V. Novák for the design of the book Brussels Dream, which accompanied the exhibition of the same name, and for the graphic design of the Trappist Psalter. The Photographers of the Year 2008 are Salim Issa and Štěpánka Stein, who showcase their work at the museum exhibition.
Among the 13 nominees in the category of Store of the Year, the academy chose the store prepared by the company Qubus in the newly opened center for contemporary art Dox. The Manufacturer of the Year became the company Lucis. The Discovery of the Year title was awarded to Vladimír Žák for his diploma work at the AA School of Art - the chair and sofa Kubikula for UP závody, which draws on the aesthetics of Czech Cubism, the Therapia chair for Prowork, and the design of the armchair Ušák.