The Brno Exhibition of Inventions, known in Czech as INVEX, was a recurring international exhibition held in Brno, Czechoslovakia. The first edition in 1972 was officially titled “Mezinárodní výstava vynálezů a zlepšovacích návrhů” (International Exhibition of Inventions and Improvement Proposals), and the 1974 edition was renamed “Mezinárodní výstava vynálezů a technických novinek” (International Exhibition of Inventions and Technical Novelties).[1]
Design and History
The visual identity for the exhibition was created by Czech graphic designers active in Brno. Miroslav Holek (born 1926) designed the poster for the 1974 edition, titled “INVEX 74. Mezinárodní výstava vynálezů a technických novinek Brno 23.-30.6.1974,” which is held in the collection of the Moravian Gallery in Brno.[2] Holek was part of the generation of Brno graphic designers who worked extensively with the logotype of the Brno trade fair and abstract geometric signs.[3]
Jan Rajlich Sr. (1920-2016), another prominent Brno graphic artist, also contributed to the exhibition’s visual program. His works from 1972 include designs for “FOND-EX 72,” a related exhibition, which are documented in the Moravian Gallery’s online archive of his estate.[4] Rajlich was a central figure in Brno graphic design, serving as chairman of the organizing committee for the first International Biennale of Graphic Design in Brno.[5]
The exhibition’s subtitle changed over time as its focus evolved. The 1972 edition was subtitled “mezinárodní výstava vynálezů a zlepšovacích návrhů,” while the 1976 edition was subtitled “mezinárodní výstava vynálezů a technických novinek.”[6] By 1995, the event had transformed into an international information technology fair.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Moravian Gallery’s records confirm that Holek’s 1974 INVEX poster belongs to the graphic design category, but they do not document specific symbolic elements within the mark.[2] The Brno poster tradition of this period, as described by the Brno Biennale, involved designers working with the logotype of the Brno trade fair and abstract geometric signs, suggesting a geometric, logo-driven approach rather than illustrative imagery.[3]
No primary source in the available research documents a specific lightbulb-and-gear motif, a 1972 creation date for a single logo, or a joint Rajlich-Holek authorship of one mark. The evidence instead points to separate poster designs by each designer for related exhibitions in the early 1970s.
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