Virtual Biennale Prague 2016

The 9th international exhibition of artists’ posters, Virtual Biennale Prague, has brought together 378 artists from 31 countries. The exhibition presents their works in two categories: professionals, and art college students (65 participating this year). The whole project is organized by the Association of Applied Graphics, Graphic Design Studio I of the Faculty of Art and Design of the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, and the Altán Klamovka Gallery in Prague.

The theme for 2016 is the future, taking into account both subjective testimonies and reflections of the present. The posters on display play with meanings, hyperbole and wit. The authors express themselves with visual shortcuts, drawings frequently bordering on illustrative art, photography and graphic design. For this year the traditional remit in black and white is enriched with a color version which is only presented in a virtual gallery. This has imparted dynamics to the exhibited collection of posters and visual strength. We find here warnings about the dangers of leaving our digital traces on the Internet and the threat of humans being controlled by new technologies. A number of authors alert us to global climate changes and war conflicts. The largest part of the collection, however, are original posters with a subjective approach to their topic. Visions of the future ranging from optimistic to pessimistic, fade into one another in the works. Future, as an unknown quantity, unites all of them.

The Virtual Biennale Prague takes place both in a virtual environment (future-2016.tumblr. com), and in a physical place – the Altán Klamovka Gallery in Prague. It is thanks to the internet that the organizers are able to address a whole range of graphic designers around the world, starting cooperation with them and creating a valuable collection of artists’ posters on the given theme within two months. The works are also assessed by an international jury. Part of the project is evaluation of the works by an international jury. In cooperation with Professor Li Xu, who is chairman of the international jury and took care of the translation contest challenge into Chinese, a record 29 schools from China entered the competition this year.

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