Small architecture

The exhibition dedicated to Dřevopodnik Holešov follows on from the long-term collecting activities of the Olomouc Museum of Art and expands the perspective on the phenomenon of bentwood furniture, both thematically and geographically. The focus is on a now little-known regional manufacturer that grew to become one of the leading Czechoslovak furniture companies in the second half of the 20th century.

The key figure in this story is the architect and founder of Dřevopodnik Holešov Ludvík Volák (1909–1989), who managed to synthesise the Czech and Scandinavian furniture-making traditions in his work and create original furniture defined by the properties of wood laminate – lamellas created by recycling leftover veneers. Under his leadership, Dřevopodnik became the sole manufacturer of furniture made from this material in Central Europe. In the early 1960s, it began to develop rapidly, thanks in part to its collabo-ration with the Swedish company IKEA, for which it produced its first laminate models. At the same time, it established itself as a respected producer on the market in this country too, regularly presenting its own models for the interiors of homes and public buildings at furniture fairs in Brno, Ostrava, and Liberec.

Today, Dřevopodnik is known for its iconic pieces, such as the Bratislava armchair, room dividers for residential interiors, and Radomír Hofman’s elegant chairs that combine modern aesthetics with functionality. At a time when the furniture industry was suffering from a shortage of skilled workers and conservative pro-duction, Dřevopodnik managed to maintain a high level of crafts-manship. An important role in the company’s success was also played by its cooperation with leading architects and designers – furniture from Holešov was used to furnish the Czechoslovak pavilions at world exhibitions, Czechoslovak embassies, the Intercontinental Hotel and the Kotva department store, both in Prague, and the Thermal Hotel in Karlovy Vary. In symbiosis with numerous works of art, these buildings and their interiors represent the best of Czechoslovak visual culture of the period.

Although the production of wood laminate furniture gradually ceased in the 1990s, the legacy of Dřevopodnik Holešov is now being revived not only in museum spaces, but also in collectors’ circles, thanks to interest in original Czechoslovak design. This exhibition is a reminder of the visionary work of Ludvík Volák and his colleagues, as well as a tribute to original Czechoslovak design.