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How is a country’s visual identity shaped, and what can graphic design reveal about it? The documentary “Identity: A Czech Graphic Design Love Story” (2024) explores the history, culture and contemporary life of the Czech Republic through the lens of graphic design.
The documentary follows Nicholas Lowry, a world-renowned auctioneer and Czech-American collector, as he travels from New York to Prague to discover what has shaped and continues to define Czech national identity. His journey takes him to key locations in the history of Czech graphic design, including Zlín, Litomyšl, Brno, Plzeň and South Moravia. Along the way, he discovers the work and legacy of figures such as Tomáš Baťa, Josef Váchal, Alfons Mucha and Ladislav Sutnar, as well as the work of a younger generation of Czech graphic artists and designers, including Petr Babák, Martin Pecina and Aleš Najbrt.
The film shows how graphic design is woven into everyday life – from industrial heritage and beer labels to Moravian wine labels and a unique tourist wayfinding system. Nicholas’s journey is also a personal quest to discover his own Czech roots.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTwd2GQU9BI
The screening is presented as part of the exhibition Identita – The Story of Czech Graphic Design.