The Brno Biennial, formally the International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno, is one of Europe’s earliest design biennials, established in 1963 and first held in 1964.[1] Its original logo, designed by Czech graphic artist Jiří Hadlač (1927–1991), is a mark built from concentric lines forming the letter “B”.[1][2]
Design and History
The first edition of the biennial, held in 1964 as the Czechoslovak exhibition of poster and promotional graphics, was accompanied by a poster designed by Jiří Hadlač.[3] The Library of Congress holds a copy of this 1964 poster, catalogued as “Československý plakát a propagačni grafika: bienale uzite grafiky Brno” and credited to Hadlač.[4] The Moravian Gallery in Brno also holds the poster in its collection, dated 1964.[5]
The concentric “B” mark proved durable. In 2008, American designer Abbott Miller of Pentagram used Hadlač’s original 1964 logo as the starting point for “Brno Echo,” a multimedia design exhibition held in conjunction with the 23rd International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno.[6] Miller built the exhibition’s identity directly from the “B” Hadlač designed for the original biennial identity, and the posters used that letterform to spell out the phrase “BRNO ECHO.”[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The documented meaning of the logo is straightforward: it is a letter “B” formed by concentric lines, a visual motif that references the city of Brno.[1][2] The concentric line pattern was later explored by Miller as a form of “modern ornament” connecting disparate design movements, from the Wiener Werkstätte through Pop Art to contemporary retro-futurism.[6]
Typography and Design
Hadlač was a Czech painter, printmaker, and graphic artist active in Brno.[7] His 1964 poster for the first biennial was printed in color using offset lithography, measuring approximately 83 by 58 centimeters.[8] The poster is signed “Hadláč 64” in the upper right corner.[8]
Later editions of the biennial introduced new visual identities. A 2010 academic thesis by Zdeňka Jenišová analyzed the visual styles of three selected editions: the 2nd Biennial of Applied Graphics Brno in 1966, the 16th International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno in 1994, and the 23rd edition in 2008.[9] The thesis documents that each of these editions featured a distinct visual approach, though Hadlač’s original mark remained the historical reference point for the biennial’s identity.[9]
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