On Thursday, 8 November, at 5 PM, the second-hand bookshop of the Fiducia club, working in tandem with the Beautification Society of Ostrava, will unveil a plaque commemorating one of the best-known natives of Ostrava – Zdeněk Rossmann, the graphic artist whose name is intimately linked with the Bauhaus.
The memorial plaque will be placed on the front of the house at Nádražní street No. 140, where the artist spent his childhood. The artist of the plaque is sculptor Šárka Mikesová, and its graphic rendition was done by Robert Bílý. The memorial plaque will be dedicated in memoriam to the archivist and former member of the Beautification Society Blažena Przybylová. The grand unveiling will also be attended by the grandson of Zdeněk Rossmann. The attendees will meet at 5 PM at the bus stop Muglinovská in Ostrava-Přívoz.
The creation of the plaque was financially supported by Jan and Marek Przybyl and the Agosto Foundation.
Special thanks go to Jana Machová, the co-owner of the house at Nádražní No. 140.
During the First Republic era, Zdeněk Rossmann (1905-1984) worked in the world-renowned Bauhaus school. His left his main legacy in the field of typography, poster works and book design during the 1930s, a period coinciding with the Brno-based Devětsil. His post-war work on the graphic design of books and catalogues, exhibition installations and museum expositions is also greatly valued. During this time, he also worked as the deputy of the General Commissar for Expo 58 in Brussels, which constituted a moment of triumph for Czechoslovak art.
Fiducia, a second-hand bookshop and club, will be honoring the Ostrava native in their subsequent November events. On Sunday, 18 November, beginning at 10 PM, a pop-up graphic arts studio for children will work on Rossmann-styled themes (led by Marcela Lysáčková). The attendees will be able to try their hands at graphic design in the style of Zdeněk Rossmann.
On Wednesday, 21 November at 6 PM, Fiducia will host an evening of discussion with Marta Sylvestrová and Markéta Svobodová, experts on the work of the famous designer and the work of Bauhaus in general. The evening will be moderated by Libor Magdoň.