• This Micropage presents the Czech contribution to the international design exhibition "What's For Breakfast?" displayed in Tbilisi (Georgia) in June/July 2013.

    Preface by Creative Project Foundation

    We invite you to enjoy six breakfast tables laid with a selection of design objects that were created and produced in Austria, Czech republic, Hungary, poland and slovakia in the company of the georgian host. through a selection of handpicked objects and breakfast specialities, meticulously curated by national partners, each table arrangement narrates a fascinating story. From craft inspired to modernist, earthy to playful, intimate to social, the table concepts have distinctive flavors envisioned by curators from their respective countries. on looking at the vibrant photographs commissioned for the project and reading the accompanying texts by the curators, you can clearly see the different national characters of each table. they portray stories of daily life in each country while introducing fresh approaches to craft and design over the breakfast table. the collections featured include design classics and contemporary pieces, which might share aspects of the same history, but have never been curated in this frame before. this fascinating bricolage of forms, styles and materials proves how much design varies not only from one country to the other, but also within national settings. yet each and every piece from this breakfast assortment includes an interesting voice in the global discussion about contemporary european and georgian ways of life. that is what we would like to celebrate.

    Czech Contribution by Michael Vasku / CZECHDESIGN

    Breakfast is the most intimate meal of the day. it is a time to prepare oneself for the day ahead, before stepping out the door to play a role in public life. in the Czech republic, breakfast is served in the comfort of one's own home, among families or eaten alone. this informality of the meal makes it special; food may be eaten delicately with fingers or in casual attire at the breakfast table. Being invited into someone's house for breakfast is a sign of trust.

    To express a sense of cultural openness in the exhibition, the curatorial decision was made to arrange a breakfast table on a bed. A bed is the most private, cherished and intimate location for having breakfast. When taking breakfast in bed, people discuss personal matters and they only do so with their partners, their best friends or their children. this arrangement reveals significant aspects of the Czech character — as do the surrounding items. the intention of the Czech republic's contribution to the international show is to share its cultural values over breakfast. the selection covers well-known designers such as Jiří pelcl, Maxim velčovský, studio olgoj Chorchoj and rony plesl, as well as lesser-known but very promising names, including studio deForm, studio llev and Martin Žampach. however, a national design scene is not just characterized by its designers, but also by its manufacturers, who are willing to invest in local talent. so the exhibition focuses on featuring well-established brands, such as tescoma or ton, as well as young, ambitious companies, including Brokis, Lugi and verreum. All of them have one quality in common: they take into account their nation's history by addressing the romanticism of the First Czechoslovak republic and also the purism of the socialist era. they devote themselves to an emerging national style, reflecting local traditions in the arts and developments in craftsmanship and technology. they are progressive in their outlook and are refining their ideas in accordance with contemporary living standards.

Background

The exhibition was commissioned by Platform Culture — Central Europe as a project focusing on the shared cultural values of Central european countries belonging to the "regional partnership" (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, poland and slovakia). in staging this show in georgia, the platform aims to foster collaboration with the eastern partnership countries as part of its goal to raise awareness of the cultural life of participating Central european countries, the european union and beyond. the platform has chosen design as the medium of creative expression because it believes that this is a vital part of contemporary culture in modern-day Europe that facilitates cross-cultural dialogue.

Joanna Skoczek / director
Department of public and cultural diplomacy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland