Identity: A Czech Graphic Design Love Story

The film Identity: A Czech Graphic Design Love Story is part of the extensive Identity project, which pays tribute to Czech graphic design and has already brought viewers a successful television series. In terms of content and format, however, these are two completely different audiovisual works.

World-renowned auctioneer and Czech-American Nicholas Lowry flies from New York to Prague as a passionate collector to map out what has shaped and defines the Czech national identity. His travels around the Czech Republic take him to iconic locations of graphic design, including the cities of Zlín, Litomyšl, Brno, and Pilsen, where he explores the work of Tomáš Baťa, Josef Váchal, Alfons Mucha, and Ladislav Sutnar, as well as trying out the famous Pilsner beer. The journeys the quirky guide takes in his tartan suit also lead him to South Moravia in search of the aesthetics of wine labels. He goes on a hiking trip along routes marked by the Czech Tourist Club with their innovative trail marking system, and he meets the current generation of artists such as Petr Babák, Martin Pecina, and Aleš Najbrt. Nicho gets closer to his own roots through uncovering the Czech identity – his great-uncle founded the Primeros factory in Prague, which also spoke to the history of Czech graphic identity.