A Talk by John East, 30th April 2024, in the Czech Embassy, London.
John East of the 20th Century Society gave The Friends a fascinating insight into the interaction of pre-War European architectural Modernism with British architecture of the same period and in particular the contribution of Czech émigré architects.
Image: on the left is John East with our Chairman Peter Jamieson. © FoCH
Against a background of various forms of oppression, the UK benefited from the arrival of Czech and Slovak architects escaping the brutalities of the Nazi regime in the late 1930s and more recently the oppression of the post-World War Two Communist state. Ėmigré architects such as Eugene Rosenberg, Ernst Wiesner, Jacques Groag and Erwin Katona chose to remain here and went on to make an important contribution to the rebuilding of Britain.
Likewise in the period following the Prague Spring of 1968 we benefitted from those architects who chose to make their lives here. Eva Jiříčná, Jan Kaplicky and Ivan Margolius amongst others have been very influential in the architectural movements of our times.
John East is an expert in the field and the 20th Century Society photographer. In 2021 he gave The Friends a sweeping review of Czech architecture in the modern era.
Full-time students benefit from a £5 entry ticket, please email admin@czechfriends.net
Top images left to right: Selfridges, Birmingham, © Mcginnly/ YRM office, GreystokePlace © No Swan So Fine/ Somerset House © traveljunction. All from Creative Commons Wikimedia.
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